The Never Ending War
by Tomson235
Summary: It has been years since the Great Grimm War and the fall of the schools now it is the next generations turn to join the Never Ending War. The world has changed but so much more has stayed the same. Join the members of a new world as they try to make a change for the world
1. Introduction

Updated 4/6/2020

**Welcome to my story Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls. This is A prologue or in reality my explanation of my world that was created from RWBY so without further ado let us explain tons of stuff.**

** This story is rated M for a reason I will not pull punches from anything.**

** Chapter 1 is the next one I will see you there.**

**Thank you for looking at this introduction Please understand that this is just a base overview looking into what is changing story wise, so you understand why things are the way they are. If you have any questions or bring up things about the story that I should have clarified here I will edit this page. **

Since this story uses an alternate timeline I feel like we should make a proper explanation.

The attack by Cinder at the end of Team RWBY's first year did happen but it did not cause the massive collapse of Vale nor the death of Ozpin. The secret war with the Grimm continued for another year. Around the time that team RWBY finishes their second year Salem makes her move against civilization. Ordering her lackeys and pawns into the assault she puts all four kingdoms, under siege. The war was a bloody affair with every single student of combat schools being brought to full huntsman status. On top of that the siege of Vale resulted in the fall of Beacon and the bloodiest fighting of the war as every living person in the city fighting Grimm forces building by building floor by floor. The sacrifice of the students of Beacon being the most interesting example with the members of the younger beacon student populous staying behind to allow the evacuation of the more experienced and valuable older students. They died to the last man. During the last year of the war, Ruby Rose of Team RWBY and her team and their sister team JNPR ended up removing the Council of Vale from power by force. Ruby ended up executing half of the council with the other half being more than willing to step down before the battle-weary woman decided to kill them for their greed. This resulted in the King of Vale being given full control of the Military of Vale and all decisions with regard to the war-torn nation.

During the war the White Fang switched sides and became a military for the Newly founded Kingdom of Menagerie, and artificial beings became prominent.

Details below.

Changes:

Beacon did not fall in Team RWBY's First Year a similar event took place during what would be their third year and was the start of the Grimm War an event that had Salem's Forces as well as Adam's White Fang run an assault on every kingdom and Menagerie (A year later most of the White Fang would Defect and Join the Armies of the Kingdom's following new leadership). They took over Atlas's Knights and turned them on everyone. During the Battle for Vale Beacon did fall along with most of the First-year students who sacrificed themselves to allow for the evacuation of the more experienced students.(More on this as the stories continues)

The Faunus genes are not overwriting of the Human genes a mixed child will have a 50 50 chance of being either

Artificial Lifeforms (Penny) are semi normal being put into manufacturing during the war seeing as their sentience gave them protection from the computer virus Cinder used to take over the Atlas military.

There is an accepted equality between the three races (Human, Faunus and Artificial) all accepting what they did to fight to save civilization.

All of the Gods stuff is null and void there are no artifacts (The Gods still may exist, but it is not common knowledge and the Artifacts are a story choice I do not personally like)

The color names left after the war the hope they came from was gone.

Technology Changes:

Dust is no longer the Main Power source of Civilization; a mixture of Solar and wind power supply the majority of the power.

Most Vehicles are ethanol powered or electric

Dust has been side lined by a war invention called Artificial Dust or Art Dust that is then enhanced by Dust to lessen the Reliance on Dust

Changes to Hunter organization

The Hunter academies fell and did not reopen the world could not afford them. Until recently

The Hunter academies are starting their second year at the beginning of the story.

Hunter teams are now formed with the intent for them to serve as a team for the entirety of their service.

The Hunter team is partnered with a hunter support team who is in charge of providing support and running the huntsmen's equipment including mech support aerial and ground transport and other equipment These two four-man teams are considered a hunter unit.

Huntsmen are expected to serve a total of fifteen years as a hunter five in the academies and ten in service. In exchange they are provided with pay and jobs and a retirement.

Our Main Teams Amber Riptide

Hunter Team (AMBR) Amber

-Alec Tross (Human Male)

-Mimi Lieander (Tiger Faunus Female)

-Beethoven Rening (Artificial Being Male)

-Raven Luir (Human Female)

Hunter Support team (RPTD) Riptide

-Rita Klong (Bat Faunus Female)

-Paul Yosif (Human Male)

-Tina Rasputin (Artificial Being Female)

-Danny Klean (Bird Faunus Female)

Hope to see you in chapter 1


	2. Chapter 1: Welcome Students

**Welcome to Chapter one of The Never Ending War**

*Scene Setting: There are a half dozen airships approaching Beacon they look a lot like the ones we see in season one of RWBY but are armed with large cannons.*

Inside of one of the large Airships are four young adults on their way to become Hunters. They stare out of the large window infront of them. "It's a lot different from home," A tiger Faunus wearing a tiger stripped T-shirt with an eye symbol on the front of it. She is wearing black cargo pants and combat boots, on her back she is wearing a large sword and over her chest she has bandolier of shotgun shells color coordinated by their dust. Her large Tiger ears proudly displayed on her head with no question. She turns to the young man beside her, "isn't it Alec?"

The young man looks at the Faunus, "We ain't in Strip anymore Mimi." The man is wearing a large white trench coat it looks like an old Atlas Military Coat, under it he is wearing a blue long sleeved shirt and Black Combat pants wit a pair of heavy combat boots. On each side of his thighs is a light side arm with a blade along the barrel and magazines spreading across his belt and inside his coat. "Bet, Raven you ready for this." He asks looking at a pair standing behind him.

A young man nods his white tank top showing perfect muscular structure unnaturally perfect, his armored pants have large rifle magazines to go with the massive rifle on his back that has a war hammer as its but stock. "I was built for this day Alec, I am glad I am here with you three."

The young woman looks forward into Alec's eyes a terrifying cold smirk crosses her lips, she looks out of place from the other three with her long green armless dress with intricate designs in yellow and red with a whip wrapped around her waist with its white highlights. She looks a bit taller than her compatriots since she is wearing two-inch-tall heels with a deep and faded purple in them. "Beethoven might be a bit excited, I just hope that this is worth it."

"Raven," Mimi replies with a laugh, "just a week ago you were all like, 'becoming hunters is the most logical use of our skill and abilities,' and now you are doubting it."

Raven stares at Mimi blankly, "I am only pointing out the logical downsides to this life choice. Fifteen years is a long time to swear loyalty to the organization. And I do not sound like that." She shifts herself to her other leg.

"Ladies, let's not have this debate again. Raven you still want to do this right?" Alec asks stepping in between the pair of women. The woman in question nods as an answer, "and Mi Raven has a point this is a big life decision, fifteen years fighting the Grimm in a never-ending war to protect civilization is not a small choice."

_"All students please prepare to dismount All students please prepare to dismount."_

The four young adults grab their duffle bags and join the mob heading towards the doors. Outside the six ships pull into what might as well be a castle facing outward. Beacon stands as the center point of Vales Defenses against the outside. Sitting four hundred feet higher than the rest of the city the school/ fortress stands imposing over the forest and city alike. Reminding those within and without that the defensive capability of the city stands ready. The walls of the City stretch out for a mile ahead and dozens behind. A dozen massive turrets surround the school and dozens of smaller weapons stare out facing the walls and beyond. Reminding no promising everyone that never would Vale face the street to street fighting that it saw during the war. Never would its citizens find themselves looking up a collapsed castle and a black horde coming down upon them.

Welcome to Beacon

Welcome to The Never-Ending War


	3. Chapter 2: You Are The Future

**Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls to chapter 2 **

**So a few notes: I cannot guarantee my release schedule I have hopefully more profitable projects **

**Any question go ahead and ask **

Alec steps out of the large airship Mimi standing next to him Beethoven and Raven bringing up the back of the little group. Alec walks following the crowd of people and join the gathering students in the courtyard of the new fortress of Beacon. They arrange themselves near a statue, it stands above all of them. The statue depicts a battle in the middle four faceless huntsmen protecting a little child on one side the white masked forces of the Grimm on the other the machine Knights of old Atlas.

Raven looks at the plaque on the side of the Statue, "In Remembrance of all those that faced the darkness partially blind. We thank you for the sacrifice of your peace, of your innocence to bring those things back for the future. In remembrance of the souls who gave the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. For facing the horrors of the darkness and standing firm swearing to an immortal place that non would pass. In Remembrance of those heroes that stared into the darkness and became monsters to protect us from so much worse. For those who stared into the darkness and watched as it stared back. Thank you. Without you all would be lost. Long live the Kingdoms, long live life, long live us all." She reads it aloud and begins to step back as like many around her they realize that carved deep into the marble base of the statue are names covering every surface of the stone. Raven looks around realizing that the courtyard is filled with three dozen of the statues. "Holy shit."

Alec puts his hand on her shoulder, "You good Vee."

"There has got to be ten thousand names on these statues."

A thick accented bat Faunus speaks up, "More like fifty thousand. Every huntsman that died in the war, don't really mention all the one that died after, or the soldiers or militia or civilians. Those have monuments in the city." She is wearing a tight pair of pants hold a long spear. Her bright pink shirt covered in a form of integrated armor; her black pants mostly covered by knee tall boots with a heel a chainmail armor sitting in front of her legs. The back of each of her boots going down to just above the ground is a larger blade. "My names is Rita mind if I stand with you for the orientation."

"Feel Free," Alec replies with a gesture, "My name is Alec, this lovely tiger next to me is Mimi, big guy with the hammer is Beethoven and then our lovely reading voice here is Raven."

"Thank you." The thick accent replies as everyone looks to the pair of adults now standing on the central stage.

A woman steps to the front of the stage, "Hello I am Crimson Immerta Headmistress of Beacon, next to me is my assistant Headmaster, Azul Pendragon." The woman speaking wears a green pin stripe suit dress with a long sword at her side. The man next to her is wearing a more lax suit with the jacket open. "you are all here to begin on a fifteen-year journey in exchange for the education and retirement you will receive. If you are not sure in your decision to be come one of civilizations defenders I want you to walk right now. No one will hold it against you and the decision will cost you most of your young life in the least." As a few leave the courtyard the Headmistress continues, "now as most of you know there are no longer huntsmen in training only those more or less experienced. If you leave after this orientation you will technically be deserting and will be rogue." She stares over the crowd of students, "Is that everyone?" With a sigh she waves her hand as the large airship start to pull away. "Well then welcome to The Fortress of Beacon Huntsmen of Remnant. Tomorrow your first test will begin we will be using the information to form you into your teams and units. We know that some of you have served in teams this will make it more likely that you will be assigned the same team as long as you work well together. As of now each of you will be labeled as Huntsmen and will be granted a stipend for equipment and the such once you have had your units formed you will be expected to take smaller jobs and missions. Once you complete you test tomorrow you will be given two weeks to pick classes. If any of you die in the test tomorrow you will be labeled as a dead huntsman and your families will receive the payment of death benefits for a year one Huntsman." She looks at the crowd. "Thank you for choosing to become the second class of Huntsmen at Beacon." She turns away as the Assistant Headmaster steps forward.

"You are all dismissed please head towards the main hall, and remember the fortress is an open campus, you will see both military and civilians among the area. Be safe. Have fun." The lax man smiles as he turns and follows the Headmistress.

The crowd begins to move towards the grand hall. Alec grabs his duffle bag and starts to follow. "You here with anyone Rita?"

"Aye no just me." She shrugs, "I grew up alone parents died a bit after I was born." She keeps walking a longer than normal distance away from the quartet. "Where are y'all from."

Alec smiles as they walk forward, "We are from a small community called The Strip about a thousand people live there." He pulls on his coat. "So, did you register to join to be a Huntress or a Huntress Support."

"I don't have enough Aura to be a front-line Huntress and my semblance is not useful in combat, so I am registered to be in a Support team. You four obviously are a combat team looks like a standard multipurpose team ya." The Bat winged woman smiles. "I am going to split off and grab a spot for myself I will see you tomorrow." She walks away with a wave.

"Let's see if we can find ourselves a spot." Alec walks in the opposite direction of the Bat. "So what do you all think of that one?" He asks quietly as he kept walking.

Mimi laughs, "this isn't a battlefield analysis Alec." The look Alec gave over his shoulder causes her to stiffen, "fine, she is nice but from what I can tell she isn't lying, at least not that I can tell. I think that she is lonely."

"She is smart and tries to think like an analyst. Her weapons were interesting that rifle spear seems like a more combat oriented tool over a support but looked pretty durable." Raven adds, "She had some kind of dust on her couldn't tell which one."

"Her parents were Fang," Beethoven adds bluntly causing the group to stop, "she had two pairs of dog tags around her neck White Fang standard issue her parents survived the war and apparently had her."

From the other side of the hall a call is heard, "that fucking flying rat is a Claw." The silence of the grand hall is hard to ignore.

Alec turns faster than he should have, "You sure those were Fang Dog tags."

"Yes."

"Mimi my right, Vee second line be ready, Bet my Left." The four start running.

"If I had known that the academy let is such animals I would have walked." The murmuring around the yells is getting louder.

"Get out of the way!" Alec yells as he pushes through the crowd.

A group of people step in the way. The clicking of Ravens whip can be heard as she unlatches it. The leader of the group a massive man smirks. Before anything else happens a scythe blade wraps around his waist a pair of rabbit ears barely seen. The group barely parts as Alec and his group break through.

Coming to a sliding stop on the tile around Rita the four young adults with weapons drawn stare down a dozen angry humans some with weapons drawn. Rita with her spear in hand and in a battle stance stands in the middle.

An angry woman steps forward an axe in hand, "move, let us deal with the Claw."

Alec stares at the woman and the group around her, "no. She is not with the Crimson Claws." He growls his weapons in his hands, "don't do this."

"Give me the animal. She has Claw tags."

Alec reaches back to Rita, "Give me the tags."

"They are all I have of them." Her voice is meek.

"Trust me please." The tags are placed in his hand and he quickly looks at them. The tags have two names and the marking of the White Fang on the back. He holds them up with one weapon still pointed at the woman in front of him. "The Fang died right next to humans and synthetics I am not going to let you sully their name by comparing them to the Claws. Now stand down or die."

"We still out number you. Five against twelve is still a loosing battle." The woman stares angrily, "You willing to die for an animal."

"You are a Huntress are you saying you are not," Alec challenges his irises becoming crosshairs of aura.

The click of a large weapon behind the head of one of the group of threats. "To be honest I am not sure what this will do against someone with Aura, but I can tell you a fire dust shell normally destroys a Grimm in one shot." A bigger human male says holding a cannon against some one's head. More weapons were drawn as the dozen find themselves surrounded.

Alec stares at the woman, "Look I hate the Crimson Claw as much as you do I hate them just like I hate the Pure Breeds they are both extremists, but I will not support a witch hunt. This woman chose to protect Civilization from the only enemy that matters." The attackers and any supporters they have begins to move away from the main group of the class. Alec looks at the group around him, "Thank you, now we need to get some sleep." He looks at Rita handing back the two pairs of Dog Tags, "Are you going to be alight." She takes them and starts to hide the dog tags under her shirt. "Don't," Alec smiles, "you need to show them the respect they deserve out in the open."

She nods with a gulp, "Thank you."

"You are one of us we back each other."

The Headmistress and her Headmaster watch the screens in the head office. "That was almost bad." She says watching her new students disperse back to their chosen sleeping areas.

The assistant Headmaster shakes his head, "I don't think so Crim, those kids know what they are doing."

"No, they don't Azul. They almost started a war in my great hall. I think every one of them was ready to kill." She sighs placing her head in her hands, "shit they were ready to do it, you saw it in their eyes. They were activating their semblances weapons drawn, all over a few old dog tags."

"But they found a nonviolent solution. They are from different places, different ideals they only see what happened after the war not before it." Azul looks away from the monitors, "Put those four on a team together, that is what they want. That young woman, Rita didn't back down impressive. That Rabbit girl reacted well and that young man with the cannon well he was surprisingly subtle until he was needed. Put those two dozen who supported the attack together in teams and units no one else will take them it will take a very long time for them to earn back the trust of the others and at least putting them together will limit any accidents." He sighs as he sips on the amber liquid in his glass, "you know I am right."

"Of course, you are right, I have trusted you on this kind of thing for what twenty two years." The head mistress takes his glass and downs it, "Make your notes and put them on my desk. Damn it. I am going to dropped into the forest tomorrow. I am going to make sure that the forest is still cleared."


	4. Chapter 3: Fubar

**Authors Note: Hello to you the reader I am hoping you are liking this little experiment in writing. I am hoping you are all enjoying it. This chapter is a bit longer than the last two if you have made it this far I am hoping you are enjoying it. If you have any questions or comments please feel free.**

It is six in the morning and all around the Great Hall the brand-new Huntsmen are beginning to wake up, weapons and equipment are laying out being cleaned, Swords are sharpened, and rifles loaded. To anyone watching with no idea of the context it would look like these children were preparing for war. Of course, for anyone sitting in the room war was the last thing from their mind. Today is the first day of the next fifteen years of these young adults' lives, what one may think is a preparation for war is just a day on the job, a day in school even the first day of school.

This is what the assistant headmaster of the only two-year-old Beacon academy walks into, the cane on his side and a smile on his face. "Good morning students, did you all have a restful night, get to know each other. Who am I kidding of course you did!" His voice sounds chipper as he glares at the dozens of young adults. "You definitely didn't almost destroy my Great Hall." He claps, "anyway I am here to give you an operational explanation of today's mission as well the stakes. In roughly four hours all of you are going to be dropped into the Forever Fall Forrest outside the city walls, the mission will be twenty-four hours. Your goal is to destroy as many creatures of the Grimm as possible your pickup location is an old outpost tower. From the data we will be gathering from your 24 hours that will be what we use to assign you to your teams and your units. That is all. We will supply you with twenty-four-hour bags and parachute if you would like."

Dozens of bags and dozens of parachutes begin floating in, "Now my young students I think I should tell you about a few things." Students go through their bags as the Assistant Headmaster speaks. "For example, I helped make the preliminary design for this building. I am no architect but turns out that a basic design can be made with only a few dozen hours of study, you see the requirements for this building were simple a large building that could be used for multiple events but would mainly be used as a cafeteria. Most of the designs that were put in were orate with pillars and flying buttresses I presented an outline for a building that had walls four meters thick and could take tank shells. Because I remembered what happened during the final Fall of Beacon." He stands up and walks through the students. "During the Fall after most of the students had evacuated except of course for half the first-year class who stayed to make room for the more experience upperclassmen. Those that stayed behind with Glynda Goodwitch and Ozpin ended up making two defensive positions, the idea was to get dug in in the Clocktower and hold to the last drop of blood. But as everything that had to do with the Fall something went wrong four teams were bringing the last of the supplies from the school to the tower as the final wave come for the souls of the defenders. They ended up getting trapped in the school's cafeteria and great hall. There they made their last stand as Glynda and the other students fought their own war. The truth is if the children had decided to hide they could have lived. They chose to fight drawing Grimm away from the clock tower. They died as the building they were in collapsed in on them, Pillars falling on them glass shattering and walls caving in. Of course, we all know what happened to the other group don't we. Thy fought until they were trapped in the top of that tower, not a bullet to their name. Protecting the tower and Ozpin as he made his last orders and finalized his plans after his death. In the end Beacon burned as Ozpin fell to hordes. His last gift an inferno that took out most of the horde."

He looks around a muscle spasm spreading through his leg, "And how do we know all of this if it burned you all ask. It was showed live to the world the story of a few young kids with their guns holding off the darkness was shown to the world live to scar us. And it did. But that is the thing about scars they leave a mark that will be stronger than before." He points at the walls around him. "Now this building could survive a direct hit from ship artillery. Because the scar is stronger than the original skin." He continues to walk, "You are here to protect civilization from an enemy that can never be defeated, we killed Salem at great cost, the Grimm are still here though, you kids are our scar. I expect for you to be at the launch plat form on time. There will be all four squadrons from the Beacon Combat Pilots Cadet Class going through their own training mission above you. If any of them go down you are to retrieve them. Happy Hunting."

He leaves the room as the young adults' stare at his back. Alec continues packing his bag with as much ammunition as he can. His friends do the same, "I am going to take the Parachute, I want you all to take them also." He stares at the bag, No sleeping gear minimal food, two canteens first aid kit. A set of basic supplies and a shovel. He looks towards Rita who has a much different set of items, tools, and scanners. Each of the new huntsman has a new scroll a military model with a radio system and a wireless head set that gave them hands free use.

"Why are you taking that stupid parachute don't have a landing strategy." The angry woman from the night before hisses and spits. "Should just stick with your pet," she points towards Mimi, "Cats always land on their feet."

Alec looks up as he pull on his backpack and parachute, "You know I am going to assume that you have had a bad history with Faunus and I am sorry but you signed up to be an Huntress so get over it. Or do me a favor and die out there, I don't want to deal with someone like you for the next five years and the poor bastards that would be your teammates deserve better. I am taking a parachute because they can be used for cover from the elements and even blankets although not the best. It weighs less than three kilos. I am not going to redo last night." He grabs Mimi as he walks away. He takes his place taller than the rest a small stage, "Now if anyone wants to listen I would like to make some plans, it would be nice if we didn't die out there. I assume most of us want to serve our fifteen years."

A few mumbles can be heard before someone opens their mouth, "Who put you in charge?"

"I am not in charge I want to make sure lands alive, who is not confident in their landing strategy?" A few hands raise, "Alright everyone try to help any one that is having a problem for those of you with worries try not to use the chute unless you have to, you don't want to be trapped in a tree as Grimm come after you. Try to get to one of us we will help you. You need to form groups as soon as possible we are screwed if we are alone out there. My team and I will be heading straight to the out post and making that our main point of operations." He turns to grab his weapons and starts slipping magazines into their poches on his belt and clothes.

He walks out as Mimi, Beethoven and Raven follow him, closely followed by another half dozen students. "I take it you students are ready to begin your day?" the Headmistress intercepts the students as two dozen fighters lift off behind her.

"Yes ma'am, is that the Pilot Cadets?" Beethoven asks from next to Alec.

"It is, you will meet them when this test is over. Follow me, the bullheads are ready you can get settled while the others are gathering themselves."

The students gather into the bullheads as the rest of their class loads in a dozen per. "You will be jumping at altitude and will make your own landing plans. Once on the ground you will proceed with your operational mission." The pilot says as they launch. It takes ten minutes to reach altitude and as the twelve students watch the city, then the wall and the forest pass underneath. " Drop in ten, nine," The students look out, staring at the ground, "eight, seven, six, five, four," Muscles tense auras flare, "three, two , one jump." Twenty-four legs spring as students fly towards the ground.

Raven pulls her whip and wraps it around Beethoven puling the two together. Alec looks over to see the boy near him losing her cool and starting to have a panic attack. He signals for him to reach for him, he grabs on to him. He looks him in the eyes, trying to convey calm. His eyes go to Mimi who is looking at the pair. He nods pushing the boy to her. Mimi grabs the boy and tries to keep him calm as she ignites her semblance a glyph with an eye on it appears as she lands and watches as Alec shoots past.

Alec for his part starts to shift himself to use the parachute seeing as he left his landing plan behind saving the girl. Before he can pull the cord two pairs of arms grab him wrapping his arm around their waists as they open their wings. The three hit the ground hard the noise rumbling the area around them. Alec snaps his head to the pair of women that just saved him. One being Rita the other being an unknown Bird Faunus. He scrambles towards them, "you two are you alright?" He quickly checks them for wounds before hearing a growl from behind. His weapons are in his hands in a second and a quick burst puts down the Beowolf. "Ladies, I need you to get up."

A groan from the bird Faunus draws him, she looks at him, "That was my worst landing since I was a kid." She looks over to Rita, realizing she wasn't moving, "Shit is she alright?" She crawls over to the unconscious bat Faunus. Checking her pulse.

Alec walks over, "She is alive, give me a minute let me see if I can give her a jolt. Watch my back." The woman draws a pistol and turns her eyes to the forest as Alec touches Rita's cheek trying to pass his Aura to her. "Come on I need you awake." She doesn't budge. "Can you carry her?"

The Girl looks back, "Yeah, where are we going?"

"We will meet up with my team then move towards the outpost, hopefully we can help her there." He shifts away from Rita as he draws his weapons again. "Outpost is this way." He says as he activates his semblance and his eyes become crosshairs as he takes out two more Beowolves in the bushes. "My name is Alec that girl is named Rita, What is yours?" He starts walking very slowly.

"My name is Danny Klean, I am a support." She says carrying Rita with ease.

"Thank you for the save, my landing would not have been pleasant otherwise." Alec aims his weapons around a boulder slashing and stabbing the Creature behind it.

"She asked me to help," Danny says shifting Rita's weight, "you were planning on landing with that Tiger girl, but that guy needed help right."

"That would be the explanation." Alec says looking around, "where are they?"

"Who? Mind if we stop this girl is a lot of dead weight for me, I am not exactly the biggest lifter here."

"Yeah let's stop here." Alec helps her put Rita down, "I was hoping to run into the rest of my team by now. The four of us could actually put up a unified front." He looks at Rita a bruise growing on her face and for head. "She is looking bad, how much first aid training do you have?"

Danny looks at the girl, "probably a bit more than you, we need her awake it is the only way to get her aura to help her. Fuck, toss me your first aid kit." She starts going through both their meager kits. "You are a good shot. I don't think most people could take out a Beowolf at a hundred meters with a submachine gun."

Alec looks around, "it's my semblance, I can be a very accurate shot if I know my weapon. It is like my brain does all the calculations on its own. Catch is I can only do that with weapons I am intimately knowledgeable of really only the twins here and my old rifle." He draws one of his weapons and fires a burst putting down another creature. "What about you? What is your Semblance."

The Bird girl shoves a set of pain killers down Rita's throat, "Emotion manipulation. Nothing really special, and it drains the hell out of me to work on more than two or three people." A shot slams into the chest of the Bat girl as the spring-loaded needle injects medicine. "Alright Bat Bitch you need to get up you weigh a ton and your boy here need more guns." She draws her gun as and fires towards a growl. "Is it just me or are they getting closer?"

"No, they are getting closer," He shoot towards another pair. He taps his headset, "This is Alec I am being surrounded by Grimm I have a wounded Huntress with me and a Support Member. I need all assistance available." He fires again. "Alright here is the plan you use your semblance and head towards the outpost, I will head opposite and draw them away."

"No that is stupid move a waste of life," Danny fires at another creature of darkness. "We need to move I will carry her just cut a path, No one is dying here." She picks up the Bat Faunus again and starts running with Alec close behind.

Alec sighs and pulls ahead shooting as he is talking into his headset again, "We are heading towards the Outpost at speed. Any available help would be very nice."

"Alec what the hell happened?" Raven's voice asked, "Where is Mimi?"

"Not important now, can you intercept I have wounded and need back up."

"Yeah on our way bringing a support of our own." Raven breaths heavily.

A gasp Alec stops sliding emptying both magazines into the oncoming Grimm. Danny laying down over Rita. "Shit," he slams two magazines into his weapons as Danny gets up drawing her pistol. "You alright Birdie?"

"I will live," A Beowolf jumps at her and impaled on a spear.

Rita stands up switching her spear to a rifle, "I take it the landing was not what we wanted?"

"We landed fine, but your lazy ass decided it was nap time," Danny replies as the three back up towards each other.

"Sorry," She says calmly shooting another creature, "so situation report?"

"Surrounded, back up on the way, your aura is pretty much gone, only two of us have melee weapons. You know you two could try to fly out. Probably could survive." Alec replies just as calmly, as his back touches the other two.

"Not a chance," both women reply taking aim at their own targets.

The Beowolves circle slowly gaining numbers. They are mostly small and young showing their intents as they stop to attack. The growly drooling monsters move closer no longer being driven back by fire. Some fall but they know they have won another set of lights will fall to darkness. One falls to the ground the sound of a shot only now catching up. Another drops dead a fiery whip slices across its back. A blinging set of colors lands in their midst as a whip tear three down. A loud blast screams as a blur of orange and black cuts another two down. The sound of a machine gun rips another pair down. In the span of ten seconds the small pack lays on the ground dissipating.

"Glad you three could make it." Alec says putting his weapons away as Beethoven stands up with his rifle and joins Raven and Mimi in the now clear battlefield, "This is Danny and you of course know Rita."

Mimi hugs the two girls, "thank you," She pulls them tightly, "that idiot would sacrifice himself for another too willingly." She releases the girls pushing her sword away, "Now," she looks at Alec, "that guy you happily risked your life to save is right here, with the boring looking rifle."

The Man nods, "Name is Paul, I am a medic." He gulps, "Thanks for the save up there."

Raven pulls Alec into a hug before she steps back. "So, did you hit your head on landing or are you just in the mood to remind me you are an idiot." She pulls him into another hug, "Stop doing things that will get yourself killed, you are all we have."

Beethoven helps a woman up and she walks over, "Hi sorry to intrude, I am Tina gal with the big gun and a slight addiction to defensive fortification, There is another three dozen Grimm heading this way may I recommend moving quickly."

"Let's go." Alec starts walking as he taps his headset, "Everyone this is Alec we need to consolidate our fire power there is something going on. There are too many Grimm too close to the city. Meet at the outpost."

"Who put you in charge." One voice says.

"What does it matter? He is right this whole thing has gone tits up." Another answers.

"What the hell did we get dropped into a suicide mission."

"What is going on."

Alec sighs, "If you can't make it to the outpost go to ground and get me your locations we will try to come and relieve you." He looks at the support huntsmen, "any of you think you can make a communications signal strong enough to communicate with the headmistress?"

Rita nods as she shoots behind her, "I should be able to do something."

They all slide into the Outpost, "Get too it."

Crimson was not a woman to worry she survived the war after all so when she stares at a report on her desk and she drops her cup the staff in the range of the sound react.

"Shit," She hands the report to Azul, "There is a massive class three Grimm horde, where did it come from." She grabs her scroll, "This is Crimson Immerta, I want every gun we have on the wall, All huntsman units mobilize, get the fighter squadrons in the air."

Azul looks at her, "What about those kids? They are out there on their own."

"City First Azul. The class is on the eastern flank of the horde get."

"I haven't seen a Grimm horde this large since the war."

"I know."

"Do you think she is back?"

"She better not be. If she is I will personally shove a thousand-pound bomb up Salem's ass."

Outside the fortress of Beacon sirens sound and airship take to the air. The Armies of Vale and the Huntsmen of Remnant heed the call to battle. Rifles passed out and prayers said. Civilians are rushed to the shelters. Hospitals prepare for the worst.

And at a small outpost a few hundred young adults dig in for a battle. Above them three squadrons of Combat Cadets engage Nevermores.

As they prepare for battle a few older Huntsman start having flashback, to a day of death of fire and shove the fear down. If they are to die her let it be to stop history from repeating itself.

Farther away a cold smile creeps across a face, "I can't wait to watch you burn."


	5. Chapter 4: Rescue Options

**Hello and Welcome Back I am so glad to see you again. I am looking forward to what we will be seeing in the future. Tell me what you think.**

"Nevermore flock at three O'clock."

"Another at nine coming in low."

"What the hell intel did not suggest there would be this many."

"Form up and make a defensive formation circle the wagons."

"I am hit VTOL Engine one is stuck at thirty-two degrees."

"Turn for home Delta Four; Delta three cover your wingman."

"Delta One that is a negative, This is Delta Four going down I repeat mayday, mayday we are going down."

"Delta Four pull up; pull up Delta Four. Kat Get your bird out of that dive. KAT!"

Inside the outpost things have been fairly quiet the Grimm seemed to be holding back. They had found a store of old battle rifles. "Pass them out we have more ammunition for these rifles than our own weapons." Alec says grabbing one for himself. "The Grimm are holding back out of weapons range it is not good for us."

Tina looks at Alec, "there is an old Valean eight-eight on the top of this outpost if I can get it operational we would be able to hit them as long as ammunition holds. I need Beethoven." Alec nods and the girl dashes away grabbing the war hammer toting artificial human.

"How many people have come in?"

"Most of them," Danny Responds as she slaps the rifles magazine in. "These are old Atlas ABR-7's The Huntsman Model. Why are they here?"

"Not gonna Question it, we have guns and ammunition." Alec Replies tossing rifles to both Mimi and Raven. "How many wounded."

"More than would be nice but nothing lethal," Raven replies, "We need to figure out where everyone else is, about three quarters of the class have made it here. A few shield teams have formed and are preparing to make a defensive line. And two Spear teams have formed, as well as full Scout unit."

"Everyone is forming into teams and unit of their own accord but…" Mimi is cut off by Rita, "Aye Alec git in here. We have Radio Communication with someone."

Alec Slides into the Room that has become the main communication room, "Is it Beacon?"

"Listen."

"Kat please respond. Delta Four please."

"Get me a microphone," Alec says with haste a modified scroll is shoved in his hand, "This is Alec Tross First Year Huntsman we are holed up in the outpost and need contact with Beacon."

"This is Delta One flight lead of Beacon Air Cadets Delta Squadron, would love to help you but we have lost all contact with command, Squadron Able, Bravo and Delta have all had to send back about half our Squadrons left I am the last Flight Leader. Name is Hayley." A Silence is heard for a long moment, "Look I have a crashed ship down there, and two people trapped. Can you save them?"

Alec runs his hand through his hair, "I am right now surrounded by a fairly large horde of Grimm and preparing to repel the attack. I also am trying to gather the last of my Class. I have wounded I can't really run out to gather two more people. They are probably safer there anyway the Grimm are focusing on us."

"I am begging you please I will give you whatever is in my power but save my people."

"Alright, but I need you to find all of my missing Class and send us the coordinates and provide ground support."

"Copy that ground command, can do, coordinates for downed aircraft are being sent we will begin looking for MIA Huntsmen. We have four hours until Bingo Fuel do you copy."

"We copy Delta One. Point of Contact with Ground Command is Rita."

"Thank you."

Alec turns away from the radio. And taps his headset. "I need to know this from all of you, will you follow me." He walks out of the command room.

"Why should we?"

"Because we have a quarter of our class and two pilots that need rescuing," He starts loading rifle magazines into his coat. "And we need some kind of single command plan, I have made contact with the Cadet Pilots in the air above us and they have confirmed a complete loss of contact with Beacon, we may be facing a horde outside and we can only survive this if we stick together. There are at least fifty people out there alone and afraid. And they need to be saved we are the only ones that can do that." He sighs, "I am asking you all to trust me, we are on our own and I have a plan to make it through this."

The silence is deafening even though people all around him are making noise, some stare some keep working. "You have Command then, what is our plan." He grabs a pile of extra rifles for future use.

"I need my team to meet up with me and I need the Scout unit and Spear teams ready. To go and rescue our people. My team will go out and get the pilots and anyone else near us." He sighs, "From here on out Rita is Ground command, she has direct contact with the Squadrons above. They are going to provide ground support and recon." He looks back to see Raven, Mimi and Beethoven looking at him. "I want you all to remember that we are surrounded by creatures that are attracted to negative emotions, so try to think happy thoughts."

Raven holds up four spring loaded needles, "Paul gave us these Four Aura Enhancers. It was all he and the other medics could spare."

Mimi sighs, "We don't have much in the way of supplies."

"We all know we have enough supplies for a day and a night." Beethoven explains calmly.

"Let's go," Alec starts walking out the front door. He looks at the Shield teams all holding their protective walls. "Not a single Grimm gets through that door alright. No matter what."

"If the Grimm get in it will be over our dead bodies."

"That is all I can ask." Alec turns to keep walking with his team toward the forest. "Mimi you are in charge of navigation, Raven right Flank, Bet Left."

The four Huntsmen move into the forest avoiding Grimm the extra rifles patting against their backs.

Mimi stops, "One sec. There is something nearby," She sniffs the air as her ears twitch, "Follow me," She slips her rifle to her shoulder and leads the way, "Blood." She looks around. Shell holes and the smell of burnt dust and dirt.

Alec looks around, "Alright give me a report."

"There were two of them, A human and A Rabbit Faunas. Human is the one bleeding." Mimi reads the area in front of them.

Raven stares around, "only one left female if the footprints and heels suggest anything."

"Found the human." Beethoven calls from a tree.

Alec leans over the black-haired man a massive gun lays at his side. "Wake up," He holds a finger to his pulse. "Come on can't carry you, get up."

The man's eyes open with a jolt, "Shit. Hannah."

"Hold up," Alec holds the man down, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"Three if you count the thumb we don't have time. Hannah is an idiot." The young man gets up. "She said I couldn't keep up, and that she would draw away the Grimm."

"Mimi Track her."

"This way."

Alec hands the man a Rifle, "My name Alec, That is Mimi, Raven and Beethoven. What happened."

"David, Hannah and I heard your call to meet up at the Outpost we were moving that way when the Grimm got too thick, and we were taking beating and I got badly hurt and she told me that she would draw them away and then loop back. I disagreed, and she pushed me against the tree and let me pass out. Must have decided to make her plan go. Except we both know it was a one-way trip." He moves as quickly as Mimi does. "Not going to let that damned bunny die for me."

It takes ten minutes to find a pair of Beowolves trying to tear something apart in between them. Their tug of war is ended in a hail of bullets. As Raven checks the Girls pulse. "She is alive what the hell."

David grabs the girl and shakes her, "Wake up, you damned bunny, I told you we stick together. I am not carrying you back to the outpost you fat assed, tiny titted idiot. "

"Your bed side manner is shit Dave." The Rabbit girls ear flops around, "and my breast are normal sized. You piece of shit." She stand up taking the rifle she is offered while gathering her weapon. "Glad you like my ass though." She looks at Alec, "I have a feeling that we are not going straight back to the outpost." A shake of a head answers her. "How bad is it."

Mimi starts leading the way for the mission as Alec begins to explain, "We are in a bad spot, no contact with Beacon, about a dozen and a half Cadet fighters are our support we are gathering at the outpost and the Grimm numbers are building. Our mission is to gather the rest of our class and the pilot and copilot of a crashed fighter then dig into the Outpost and hold until evacuation. We have a days' worth of food less than that of meds and have no idea what is happening outside of our operational area."

"You forgot the part where you are technically in operational command." Raven adds with a sarcastic tone, "Which make you being out here very stupid."

"That too."

"Who put you in charge." David asks as he stands up.

Mimi sighs. "Everyone."

Alec stands up and starts walking away, "Mimi get us back on track we need to find those pilots and get back to the outpost. Raven you take the rear flank, Bet floating middle coverage. David and Hannah with Bet. Are you two holding together?"

Mimi takes the lead and starts walking with the other five following her. "Both our aura is almost shot no major holes though." David replies with roll of his shoulder. "We are both at around ten percent, those boosters you have won't help. Just try to keep us from being hit."

Hannah nods with him

The hike takes another twenty minutes before the wreckage and destruction. The debris and the fires still burn. "Find the pilots, then we get out." The group spreads out as they dig through the forest and its endless red. It doesn't take long to find the fuselage of the fighter the pair they were looking for laying back to back with their pistols in hand.

"Found them!" Beethoven yells followed quickly by the running of the others.

The first one a woman with short hair looks up, "Who are you?"

"Rescue, now are you hurt?" Beethoven leans over the woman as Raven rushes to the other a thin man with blood on his face.

"Probably hit the ground hard and had to shoot our way out. Grimm have been trying to get at us."

Alec steps up looking at the man, "He alive?"

Raven nods with worry, "He is out cold and looks bad off."

The woman gets up with help from Hannah, "He lost consciousness about ten minutes ago. Please tell me you have a recue bullhead waiting."

Alec shakes his head, "I am afraid not, we are from the fresh huntsmen class. We are holed up in the Outpost and have no contact with Beacon, your commander asked us to get you." He looks to the others, "Bet you are going to have to carry him, everyone else grab anything of value med kits, guns, ammo, explosive we bug out in five." He looks at the woman, "I assume that you are Delta Four."

"Name is Kat," She takes the rifle that is handed to her, "How bad is it?"

"Mine is Alec. You are infantry now; do you have your aura unlocked?"

"That bad huh," She checks the rifle slipping her pistol into her flight suits holster, "No neither of us have had the unlock."

"May I?" The woman nods, "I want you to double think this I am not trained to unlock, and this could cause you problems in the future."

"Look from what I can tell this is an emergency situation. Do it."

"Alright," Alec looks at Beethoven, "Unlock his Aura." With a nod Alec turn back to the woman in front of him. Placing his hand on her cheek he focuses, "In passing we may achieve immortality. Today is not the day to follow. Let protection extend to survive. Power of all power of none I pass to thee." Catching himself he looks at the woman. "Don't push yourself you aint got much."

Five minutes pass and the group prepares to leave a pair of survival kits and some explosives. The copilot, named Max, is slung over Beethoven's shoulder unlocking his aura doing nothing immediately. Mimi takes the lead as the sounds of Grimm begin to grow louder. Alec draws his weapons and activates his semblance the moment the red eyes of the Grimm are seen he fires, one, two, three down but the pack pushes past their fallen and Alec runs.

The running battle draws more and more Grimm, "Ground command this is Alec I need support, We have the pilots, but Grimm are going to run us down."

"Copy that support is incoming, just keep running." Rita Replies over the shortrange communication.

"Easy for them to say," David says turning to fire his personal weapon, lobbing two high explosive shells at the Grimm behind them. "They don't have to run."

"Alec this is Delta One, we are on our way to provide cover."

"Thank you." Alec winces as he pushes himself to keep running his legs scream and his aura wasn't able to keep up.

"Duck." The shortrange cried out as the eight fall to the ground as two of the VTOL Fighters drop hovering a meter above the ground as they open up with their weapons. The Grimm fall fast as the weapons cease fires, "Keep running. The rest of your people have made it back. This is Delta One moving off target."

The Huntsmen and Pilot get up and start running again. The Outpost in in sight as they break through the forest to the clearing another set of fighters drop down peppering the forest edge keeping Grimm back as they slide into the outpost, "Get the pilots to the medic."

Rita leans out of the room that has become command and control. "Delta One for you."

Alec takes the microphone, "Delta One this is ground command Status."

"Good to see you made it. Are my people alright."

"More or less, Max is out cold, and Kat is awake; we had to unlock their Auras to keep them going."

"That is good to hear, we are going to have to Bug out almost out of ammunition. Is there anything we can do before we have to pull out?"

"Yeah a few things, One; drop reserve fuel pods at the forest edge, then toss out your survival kits when you come to get your people."

"Can do."

"Tell me you are coming back."

The silence stands for a bit, "Nothing will stop us. I will be coming back with three full squadrons no matter what."

"Alright we will do the pass off on the roof."

Alec steps out, "Grab Max we are going to load the pilots onto the fighters as they head out."

The looks from the others are worried as they go about their orders. No one questioned the direction. If any had a word to say, an argument, or a worry they kept it to themselves. The main doors were barricaded since there was no one left to gather. The exhausted young adults tried to rest if they could as the sounds of fighters flew over.

Kat looks at him handing her rifle and her pistol over, "We will come back when we rearm, and we will bring you evacuation Bullheads."

Beethoven lifts Max, "We have faith in you, now we need to load you up on those fighters."

Alec is standing on the roof guiding the fighter though. The engines roar as the fighters circle around the highest roof top the small packages holding the survival and medical kits stack up as they are tossed out. Alec looks at the woman who is hovering her fighter across the room from him. Max is loaded up being put into the lap of her copilot. Alec salutes as she closes her canopy and pushes her fighter off.

Kat stands waiting for the next fighter, "We will come back."

"I know, now get into that fighter." Alec salutes this fighter as it also pulls away. The seventeen fighters pull into the sky towards the city of Vale. Alec looks at Tina, after the fighters are clear, "Light the Fire Ring."

"Yes Sir." She fires the old Eighty-Eight and they watch as the shell ignites the surrounding circle of bullhead fuel.

The Ring of fire extends all around outpost, On the other side the creatures of Darkness gather staring through the flames at their target. Two hundred of the future protectors of Civilization trapped in a fortress and waiting for the enemy to come to the them. Oh, and come they would their orders were clear, burn, destroy, kill.

Beacon's main cannons open fire tearing into the horde, soldiers fire from their bunkers the fighters fight in the sky with Nevermores and Lancers. Crimson Immerta watches the chaos as her Assistant Headmaster stands next to her. "They will fall, according to reports we will have this whole thing under control by tomorrow morning. All the Grimm are young, and unintelligent. Deploying Huntsmen is almost a waste of resources."

"Yes, are our communications still Jammed."

"Yeah we have figured out it is one of those damned scramblers, those Grimm disrupt everything to do with long range signals."

"What is making all of these Grimm work in such an organized fashion."

"We have no idea; do you want me to prepare the Cadet reserves for battle."

"No, we have the situation under control without sending are children to battle."

A soldier runs in sliding on the cold tile floors. "Ma'am the rest of the Cadet fighter squadrons are back."

Outside seventeen fighters begins to land. The cadets outside gather as their equally young ground crews begins to secure their landings. In a small years old air frigate, a group of cadets watch the preparation. A young man stares forward. "Prepare the Beacon for launch, don't let the headmistress know."

"Yes Captain."

The Grimm outside push on against what they recognize is an undefeatable force, their forces are weaker than when their queen led them to war, but the voice in their heads pushes them forward, it sings them to battle, "in the end… Killing is all that matters."


	6. Chapter 5: Hold

**Welcome to Chapter five of The Never Ending War. Sorry for the delay explanation at the bottom.**

**Most importantly enjoy the story, if you have any comments or questions go ahead and write them. **

"Headmistress," Hayley salutes with vigor while the other two squadron leads stand beside her, "The first years are holding out in the outpost. If we rearm Able, Bravo and Delta we can escort a rescue squadron and pull them out."

"That will not be necessary, Please have your squadrons stand down and return to reserve."

"Ma'am those First years are not going to be able to hold the night. Without resupply or evacuation." Hayley replies her hand dropping.

"They will hold until the morning Cadet then we will send our rescue forces." The headmistress looks at them, "You are dismissed."

The three Cadet flight leaders walk out Hayley sneering, "Are you all with me?"

"Yeah," Both of the other flight leaders reply, "What is your plan Hayley?"

"Karl have Able squadron get rescue bullheads and prepare to launch. Jet get Bravo loading out to ground pound, full gunship load out. I will have Delta load out for a multipurpose battle setup."

"Could a Frigate help. A young man steps forward in a dark grey navy cadet uniform."

"Maximillian what are you talking about?" Hayley asks with her hand reaching for her pistol.

"The Beacon is Ready to launch and provide fire support for your little mission." He smiles darkly, "I am sorry you are afraid of me, please understand I am sorry for the misunderstanding. The Beacon stands with you." He reaches out his gloved hand, "those first years out there are in trouble and I am not leaving them there." He looks into Hayley's eyes as she takes his hand to shake. "When do we launch?"

"An hour we push the engines to max and run for the outpost." Hayley says with a nod.

"Or you could not discuss your plans for mutiny in the hallway." The Assistant Headmaster says walking up to the group. "I do recommend that you move your conversations somewhere more private." He lazily walks into the middle of four. "Now you will need an operation name and of course an order set. Your Operation name is Prometheus and your orders are right here." He hands the four papers. Off you go."

Outside the outpost the fire starts to burn down. Alec sighs, "Alright people the fuel is burning out. Get to positions. I want controlled fire, when this starts let's get to the trenches." Surrounding the outpost is entrenchments that the have been made in the hours and a half the fighter squadrons. As Alec stands looking over the quickly built ramparts he sighs. "Here is the simple facts. We are farther away from Beacon than when we dropped probably a twenty-minute flight under perfect conditions it will take another twenty to reload those fighters and forty to get a flight plan made. In reality we shouldn't expect help for longer, those pilots were exhausted."

He looks behind him towards the tallest tower on the outpost with the cannon on top of it. "I want you to look to your right then to your left, this single outpost is held by some two hundred huntsmen, and behind us is Vale. The very civilization you have sworn to shield. We will hold and destroy the enemy, or we will die." He slaps the rifles charging handle, "But our enemies love fear and darkness, so ladies and gentlemen think about rainbows and unicorns."

"Fire dying on the north side. We have a horde coming through." A voice calls out calmly, a single shot cuts through the air as the old eighty-eight fires. The single shot tears apart the Grimm as they try to break through. "Nice shot."

"East side is dying down, shit there is a Goliath." The radio crackles, "we need fire."

"On it bringing the gun around," Tina calls out, "Shit that is a big one."

The canon fires ripping through the young Goliath, it turns to a smoking and disintegrating hulk. The other Grimm around the outpost pull back with the fall of one of the beasts. The group of huntsmen stare down the sights of their weapons and watch the fires around them, the only defense that they have burn away.

"Here they come," Alec calls out with an abnormal calm, "Hold your fire," The groups of Grimm charge, the rumbling and stomping of the black mass. Not a single shot is fired as the two hundred plus huntsmen hold their fire their rifles waiting. The creatures reach a point their face masks reflecting light. "Pick your targets." Alec points his rifle forward, the creatures slobbering jowls dripping, "Put them down."

A rippling wave of sound rips through the Grimm. The fire power tears back the black horde, a black wave that breaks upon the rocks that are the huntsmen and their weapons. The Grimm are pushed back their bodies stacking up and forming a wall of disintegrating black mass.

"Reload everyone." Alec sighs, "Keep an eye out."

Hayley slips a new pistol into her holster, "alright," her pilots and copilots form around her, "we are going to launch and then move quickly escorting The Beacon and Able Squadron. Bravo will be set up to ground pound. We are technically not going to be going against orders from the Headmistress, but we have operational approval." She pulls her hair back into a high bun.

"Alright." Kat replies tightening her holster.

Karl pulls on his flight helmet, "Able is ready to go to war."

"So is Bravo," Jet mentions stepping forward.

"The Beacon is armed and ready my crew is prepared." Maximillian adds as he steps out of the shadows that always seems to be ready for him.

The sound of loud clanking draws everyone's attention. "Hello, my fellow reserve units," The man in a large exosuit says with a smirk. "where are you planning on going?"

"There are two hundred first year huntsmen stuck in the outpost and the headmistress is not going to let us get them. So, we are going anyway." Hayley says puffing out her chest.

"Well damn, I never thought that pilots would have the balls for that. Consider Mechanized Unit one at your service When do we launch?"

Maximillian smiles, "damn by the time we launch we will have an armored division going in to save those first years." He slips a pistol into the holster on his left side, "we launch immediately, we are armed and ready. Your unit has its own transports correct?"

"We have three armed and specialized bullheads with support weapons. We will form up with you on launch." The exosuited man salutes.

"Alright, get to your fighters, we launch asap." Hayley ends the meeting sternly, "let's go to war."

Alec looks towards the forest, "Looks like they are going to come at us."

"I can confirm that," Another voice replies over the radio, "They are going to push hard and fast. Where is our back up?"

"They will be here; we need to fall back to the main lines the moment the Grimm reach the twenty-meter point. Shield teams you are in charge of covering the retreat. Long range team members you are going to head back now." Alec looks down his rifle, "We hold until reinforcement."

"We hold," A unison of voices ring out over the outpost as snipers and marksmen move into the buildings of the outpost.

The darkness around the outpost stares at the outpost, the red eyes of Grimm darkness dig through the fortification. They will destroy those who stand before them it is all they know today. With a roar they charge the first in their wave torn down by organized fire and the single heavy gun of the outpost. The horde pushes back against the withering fire and the bullets. It takes minutes for the first-year huntsmen to be forced into the building, the three shield teams holding back the bloody horde as their fellow first year huntsmen. The doors shut as the last young adult pull into the outpost.

Defenses are manned as the old cannon on the top of the outpost begins a steady beat the orchestra of war picks up again. The horde outside over runs the small dugouts of the first line of defense the small trenches becoming filled with evaporating Grimm. The creatures of darkness can't be pushed back they are hungry for the negativity in the first years.

"Alight," Alec says over the radio securing the main door with a bar and a dozen crates. "I need a number estimate and an ammunition count."

Tina calls over the radio, "About seven thousand Grimm running low on ammunition for the gun up here."

"We have enough ammunition for the Battle Rifle's we are doing alright on personal ammunition."

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we are down to three aura enhancers and four bandages and I have drained most on my aura trying to heal people up. That is it, the rest of the medics are on the line," Paul says over the radio.

The radio is filled with messages, worry and fear spread worse than before.

"Look," Rita Interjects, "we are in the shit now, our best hope is that those pilots get back with our evac. So, if you have a better plan, or a bunker or an escape route go ahead and share, other wise pick up a rifle get in position and fight."

"What about a breakout?"

"Into what seven thousand Grimm, at least here we have a defensive position."

"All of you stop arguing," Alec raises his rifle and fires at the Grimm outside, "Think about this, we are surrounded by several thousand Grimm and Beacon has sent no help. That means that there is something bigger than several thousand organized Grimm drawing their attention. We are at this point hold off a percentage of Grimm that could be attacking Vale." He fires a few more times, "I can't tell you what is attacking Vale, but we are distracting part of it. Think about what will happen if these Grimm attack some where on the defensive line now."

The Grimm outside push finding themselves unable to break the doors or cut through the wall yet. The Larger Goliaths Begin to for a group preparing to crash though the walls and doors waiting for something they stay hidden held back and preparing. Walls will not stop them. Guns and Cannons will not stop them. The little mortals' glimmers of light cannot stop them.

"So what is going to happen?" The Headmistress asks as her laid back counterpart as he walks behind her.

"They should be launching any minute now. They got Maximillian to mobilize The Beacon and The Mechanized team is preparing their Bullheads. That gives them three squadrons one with evacuation shuttle and all associated weaponry, one with ground support weapons and one with a general armament, one frigate The Beacon is a bit old but still has more than enough firepower and of course three bullheads of the Mechanized team and of course sixteen Mechanized Cadets. That should be enough to evacuate everyone and burn quite a few Grimm." The Assistant Headmaster says without his usual laid-back nature. "They are good kids, have good heads on their shoulders can think for themselves. And are loyal to each other."

"Have two huntsman teams prepared and call up the army have one battleship prepared to support the cadets. We will only send them in if need be."

"Yes, ma'am." An officer says.

Another turn worriedly, "Ma'am a large number of units are leaving the reserve area."

"Let them go." The head Mistress says calmly. "The main Grimm attack has been beaten anyway. Report on that by the way."

"Ma'am with the deployment of our forces we destroyed seventy percent of the Grimm horde with artillery and air power the rest were destroyed by huntsmen and military units, the first armored brigade took heavy losses from a flanking attack and had to be pulled out but that was the only major losses. We are still looking for the Jammer Grimm, as such long-range radio communication is still difficult."

"Thank you, continue operations. What was the Grimm count?"

"About twenty thousand."

"Good Job."

"Thank you ma'am."

Far away a dark shadow giggles with eerie calm as it move pieces on black and crimson chess board, "there will be no victory in strength." Hordes wait for their orders in a kind of hibernation, waiting as if remnants from a forgotten war waiting to be awakened.

**So authors note:**

**Sorry for the delay but I lost my job and had to start a new one and have had some other personal stuff come up.**

**I Will try to release the new one in a bit.**

**Tell me if you have any comments or ideas. **

**I have been thinking of making more of an explanation to some things here I know some parts of my story raise a few questions like the more militarized side of things.**


	7. Chapter 6: The Last Stand and Hussars

**Welcome to the next chapter of The Neverending War **

**Are you all enjoying it?**

"They have broken another wall; we are pulling out of the room." Alec curses as he fires into the face plate of a Beowolf. Four other breakthroughs around the outpost have pushed the young adults back. No one has died yet, but auras are almost all in the red and it was only a matter of time before bodies started piling up.

"Last shot for the old eighty-eight has been used," Tina says over the radio, "Took down a big one with it." Her machine gun opens up on the dark horde.

Mimi slashes at one of the Grimm that are clawing their way into the door. "Alec We need that evac."

"I know Mimi." Alec draws his pistols and shoots one of the Grimm.

Outside the Grimm continue to push against the now beaten defenses of the first year Huntsmen. Their cannon now silent the Grimm are emboldened yet again to push against the outpost. Bursts of fire continue to target the surrounding creatures. The decomposing bodies stack up faster than they can dissipate.

"Look I know we all said that we would hold here but this position is untenable, we need to pull back to the second level." A voice crackles over the radio.

Alec looks out the hole in the wall near him the Grimm still massing in numbers that no one of them had need before. "Yeah you are right, pull back to level two grab everything you can, set explosives and prepare to move back." He fires on the closest Grimm putting it down. "Raven set explosives, Beethoven grab any snipers we have and have them provide heavy cover. Mimi get all able bodies close combat huntsmen and have them prepare to cover our retreat to the stairs."

The three splits away from their leader. Alec fires again at this point not even aiming, the goal is no longer to kill the beasts but to keep them back as the others prepare to follow the new plan. The fire from the first-floor cuts back as most of the young huntsmen move everything they can up to the second floor. Within fifteen minutes the snipers take their positions and begin to thin out the over-whelming force.

"Charges have been set," Raven says as she appears beside Alec.

On his other side Mimi slides in, "I gathered a dozen capable fighters, they have move than forty percent Aura."

"That gives us fifteen with me and Raven." Alec sighs, "Alright everyone here is the plan there will be an organized retreat to the second floor we are going to cover them. Any of you drop below twenty percent you pull back." He switches his weapons to their kukri mode and throws the rifle he has onto his back. With a gulp he looks to the fourteen young adults around him, "Are you ready?" They nod grim looks stretching their faces. "Alright, rainbows and unicorns." He taps his headset, "Alright everyone I want a calm and orderly retreat we will cover you."

The fifteen dash through the outpost Alec joined by Mimi and Raven. The twin blades of the leader dig deep into Grimm while, an orange and black blur tears through a hallway, lightning tears into another Grimm while Raven's whip slashes and cuts. No matter how well the young Huntsmen fight though they are pushed back.

"We have almost been pushed back to the ladder. The fucking Grimm are just pushing."

"We need to pull out, My Aura is broken."

"Everyone is up the ladder," Another voice calls out.

"Move we will hold the ladder room, until everyone is up."

Alec takes a hit clawing into his skin as he leans in front of Mimi to protect her from the swipe. His eyes become Crosshairs as he points his weapons now in their pistol form and pull the trigger the Grimm are torn down for a second as each takes a pair of bullets to their weak points. Mimi pulls her weapons trigger leaving another two monsters evaporating. And a fire blast from Raven lights up the hall.

Mimi grabs Alec pulling him towards the ladder, "I coulda taken that his My aura is stronger than yours."

Raven looks back, "Get him up I am right behind you."

Without question Mimi grabs Alec tossing him over her shoulder, "You better be, I am not letting you die either."

With a quick movement Raven's whip slashes at the oncoming Grimm elements of nature and man putting an edge to the tip, fire, wind, and electricity. As her teammates made it through the trapdoor she jumps activating the Gravity Dust in her heels. Mimi swipes her hand forming one of her tiger eye glyphs in the lower room. Then she watches through it as the Grimm clamber into the room. She sneers waiting with her hand on the detonator. The blood of her friend still on her shoulder. Alec is being taken care of by Paul. The Grimm swipe at her Glyph finally causing it to shatter, Mimi pushes the button on the detonator and winces as the explosives cause a sound wave that deafens everyone. The Outpost is clear for a moment as the Grimm begin to swarm again.

"Well Fuck," A voice yells as weapons fire clears the second of silence.

"Alec, we have contact!" Alec takes the scroll turned microphone and speaker wired into the antennae.

A voice crackles through the static, "Ground command are you still there?"

"Yes, we are still holding."

"Good, this is Sirus in command of the first-year mechanized unit we are going to be at your position in thirty seconds. We will be making a pass to thin out the Grimm and then will land reinforcement on the roof."

Alec stand up with some effort, "Copy that Mech Leader Where are Able, Bravo and Delta?"

"Squadrons Able, Bravo and Delta as well as the Beacon are on their way but need to deal with a flock of Griffins. Permission to begin assault Ground Command."

"Permission Granted Mech Leader."

Three heavily modified bullheads fly past heavy twenty-millimeter miniguns tear into the horde. A second pass has the twelve exosuited soldiers land on the roof they spread out pulling out their heavy machines and holding them as rifles taking aim they fire tearing into the black monsters.

Sirus looks at Alec as he steps onto the roof. With a salute the man in the eight-foot-tall mechanized suit recognizes the leader of the huntsmen, "Hell of a mess you found yourselves in here."

"It does not seem to be our day. Thank you for the back up."

"Not to worry, this is what we signed up for. The Evacuation units are about fifteen minutes away. And sorry about the delay, Vale was under attack also."

The horde is held at bay with the additional firepower. Morale among the Huntsmen swells knowing help was coming and that they were already reinforced by help with weapons. Then the trees fall, and massive black forms cause all of that to go out what is left of the windows. The Goliaths charge the outpost.

Alec Stares, his face tightening. "DAVID GET YOU CANNON UP HERE!" His voice raising to a scream. David almost flies through the hatch. "Put them down," Alec says with an eerie calm.

"You got it boss," The young man says wiping his sweat drenched hair out of the way. He takes aim and pulls the trigger, shell after shell begins to fly towards the massive beasts. Fiery blasts impact the creatures. As every weapon left turns on them ten Goliaths lead a charge. One falls as David sighs, "Well that is all I had."

(Authors Break: Hey everyone I want you to go and find a song for me for this next part, Winged Hussars By Sabaton. I this was a movie scene this would be the music in the background pretty much. Thanks For reading and We will be back in

5

4

3

2

1)

"That is it?" Alec sighs watching the Grimm grow closer.

"I used most of my ammo before you saved us."

"Keep shooting it with you rifle." The firing slows as everyone realizes they will not make stop them. Alec taps his headset. "We are not going down with a bullet left in our possession people." He opens fire with his weapons, "we will only fall when there is nothing left, FIGHT!"

The plinking of small caliber rounds, and the heavy machineguns of the Mechanized unit leave nothing but scrapes and scratches against the living tanks. The fire should be withering, but other than the few smaller Grimm behind them that are hit by accident. The Goliaths lower their heads in one pass they will break the out post to the ground. No one inside leaves their firing positions hoping against all hope that on luck shot will get through.

Then Heaven rains fire as Bravo Squadron drops fifty tons of bombs from less than a hundred meters while they are moving at maximum speed. The heat scorches the paint on the outpost. As the Grimm keep charging Bravo Squadron joins the three bullheads of the Mechanized unit forming a circular floating ring of weapons against the rest of the horde.

"Ground command this is Delta One we have evacuation bullheads a minute out," The frigate slowly makes its position above the outpost clear and known as it fights off the remnants of a nevermore flock.

"Delta One nice to hear from you." Alec replies shakily. "I see you made some friends."

"This is Maximillian Captain of The Beacon, the leftovers from the Vale attack are heading this way we will have to move quickly before they reach our position. None of you are in shape to hold another horde back. Ground Command I recommend you move."

Alec nods. "Alright we need to get ready to bug out Wounded first Medics choose."

"This is Able One I have a squadron of bullheads we will be pulling up one by one to pick you all up."

"Copy that Able One." Alec steps to the side as tired and beaten Huntsmen begin to file up the ladder and load on to the arriving bullheads.

A small group that seemed to be demanding allowance to board first. The woman leading them pushing her way past everyone else. Everyone recognizes them from just a day earlier. "I am leaving this zoo, and you are not going to stop me." The woman leading them tries to shove the wrong person, she finds herself with her hand on a muscular man standing in front of the impromptu medic. "Move."

Weapons point at the two dozen. Alec steps forward, "Wounded First then I will allow you to leave." Alec raises his hand to stop any words, the cuts from the Grimm still there. "This is not a debate, you wait, or I leave you behind to be removed from my problems list by Grimm." Behind him wounded are loaded up and bullheads shoot by. "Don't make me waste a bullet on you." As the last of the wounded are flown away Alec steps aside. The woman spits on the ground as she passes Alec. With the next two Bullheads taken up by them the huntsmen load cases of weapons and ammunition on to the bullheads as well as the old eighty-eight ripped from its mount with the help of another bullhead. Within ten minutes the outpost is clear. As they fly away information a volley from The Beacon destroys the Outpost and all the Grimm infesting it.

"So, uh Alec we might get arrested when we land."


	8. Not a Chapter Just Some Clarification

**Hello everyone Tom here this isn't a chapter this is a bit of a chat about the world of the Neverending War.**

Some of you may be asking, "Tom why is the huntsmen forces so militarized?"

Well theoretical reader the answer is simple, the people of Remnant barely won the Grimm War, the four-man team system of the Huntsman teams resulted in massive losses and the fact that they had rely on the military to provide heavy equipment meant that the Huntsmen were reliant on a slow force with other requirements. This resulted in a more militarized Huntsman force once the Academies were reinstated.

"Tom why are the students not considered students but full Huntsmen?"

Simple during the war the students were forced into full Huntsmen forces. Also since the Academies fell the system became a basic form of apprentice ship with veteran huntsmen teaching younger students and at some point declaring them full huntsmen.

"Tom How old are these first year Huntsmen?"

Ah good question they mostly range from 16 to 18 now there is a catch because the governments of the world consider all official Huntsmen adults no matter the age. So um their age doesn't matter to the government or really them.

"Why are there combatants in the Huntsmen forces with no active Aura?"

Well the way I have it set out is every Aura is graded on 1 – 100 scale. And most non huntsmen have a fairly week aura thus making it almost worthless in a combat roll. So there is a reasonable explanation for Huntsmen forces to rely on Mech suits, tanks and aircraft because of low or nonexistent aura.

**That is all everyone **

**If you have any real questions go ahead **

**Tom**


	9. Chapter 7: A New Home

**Welcome to The Neverending War Chapter 7**

**I am sorry this has taken so long and I have little excuse. **

**Leave a comment**

**Tell me what you think**

The Flight back is quiet there is a level of relief from being saved, the wounded are being tended to. The plan has been agreed upon, the small force of young and bloodied huntsmen were going to prevent the headmistress and the entirety of beacons staff from arresting the three squadrons of cadet fighter pilots and an entire frigate of Cadet Sailors for the as they had guessed was at least a page full of crimes. They know that they stand no chance even in fighting shape they would be doomed if they had to face the experienced and expert fighters in a fight. In all reality it didn't matter the intent of the huntsmen was to make an argument in favor of their saviors.

The landing of three squadrons of bullhead transports and fighters and the massive in comparison Beacon cadet frigate was not as noticed by the city or everyone at the fortress that was known as Beacon Huntsman Academy. The large cannons at the edge of the Fortress School still smoke from firing on the horde point outward. The squadron ground crews run about and prepare to receive the landing ships. The Beacon pulls into its berth under the edge of the cliff of the school. Doctors and Nurses wait as the first Bullheads land with the most wounded huntsmen. The rest of the bullheads and fighters circle before slowly landing. Alec and his team stand up in their bullhead. They step out as the transport pushing the large heavy machinegun out of the way.

The headmistress stares at the two hundred fresh huntsmen and another hundred cadet pilots and crew of the frigate. Her assistant standing next to her with a large grin she smacks him with the scabbard of her sword. "Stop smiling." She looks to the young adults who were not dragged away by the medical teams. Alec stands in front of her and behind him stand a hundred and seventy huntsmen, twelve mech suited soldiers and one hundred cadet pilots and another two hundred support cadet personnel. She smirks seeing the seemingly unified front. "I will be wanting reports from all of you by the second day of the classes. We will be creating your teams in four hours. Huntsmen dismissed Dismissed." She then turns to the pilots as the Huntsmen and Mechanized team walk out slowly many of the Huntsmen limping hoping to collapse against a wall and sleep until teams were officially announced. "Pilots you will provide flight recordings along with your report. Dismissed."

Alec, Mimi, Beethoven, and Raven walk down the hallway which looks like an overwhelmed hospital, the young adults that had an hour earlier been holding a line against the darkness now lay clumped up sleeping with heads on shoulders and backs against the wall. The four find themselves a small empty spot against the wall and sit back. The adrenalin that had kept most of them going truly gave out the moment the air fleet rescued them only giving them the energy to get to a resting place.

The exhausted huntsmen are left alone for an hour before the assistant headmaster's clacking cane starts to rouse the tired adults. "Aye Children time to find out who you will be spending the next fifteen years with." The young adults slowly wake up, sore and uncomfortable from their sleeping positions.

Within ten minutes they are standing in the large academy hall, the Headmistress stares over the crowd of people. "Last year I made a twenty-minute-long speech for the first year of students in years. I have a similar speech written and planned for today. I will not be reading it. Today you all showed a willingness to work together. Last year I sent my first class of experienced huntsmen apprentices. Forty-three dead another twenty-one wounded and made combat ineffective, sixty-four huntsmen gone in a day. It almost ruined the start of the new huntsmen academy system. All five schools had similar catastrophes hell Atlas lost half of its candidates. It proved the major problem with the apprentice Huntsman program and caused its cancellation. You all did a good job and formed a strong force to survive, even through your problems with each other. We are in a situation where you and your senior class are the proof that the five academies are the best hope for civilization.

I know you are not fully sure about how these units and teams will work but do not worry we are going to create a new huntsman system one that can and will protect civilization. Now it is time to create teams and units."

It takes an hour to work though the teams and the units with Alec, Mimi, Beethoven and Raven put on the same team as expected with Alec in charge they make up team Amber (AMBR) with the support team Riptide, with Rita leading her team of Paul, Tina and Danny. The unit being named Amber Riptide with Alec in overall command was dismissed to their quarters. The eight walk to their new living space, quarters 58. Alec swipes his scroll over the door lock and pushes open the door the large one-hundred twenty-five square meter room has enough space with eight beds, two bathrooms, a kitchenette, a full workbench and eight small desks. Eight small wardrobes sit next to the beds.

Mimi hops over to one of the beds, "This one is mine, The room is a cozy."

Paul takes one of the other beds, "If by cozy you mean small then yes. Shoving eight people into a room this small seems a bit unreasonable. We have a lot of stuff to store."

Rita sits down on another bed, "Don't complain at least we have warm beds and a roof. You are gonna get used to it, anyway there is storage for equipment in the equipment room. And we are really only going to sleep here and maybe work on homework."

Raven smiles, "I mean we could save space if we cut everything down to four beds then just share," she cocks her hips and walks over seductively, "That could be fun."

Mimi smiles as she watches her long-time friend mess with the young man in front of her.

Danny pushes herself up against Paul from the back, "You know I think three of us can fit in one of those beds, what do you say Paul."

Paul pulls himself away from the pair of women raising his hands in surrender, "Alright I get it I won't complain now stop teasing me."

Danny smirks as the man in front of her reacts, "How do you know I am teasing?" She smirks as she sits down on one of the beds, "Maybe I am serious."

Paul sits down on another bed. "So, we all need to make our decisions on beds. Correct?"

"Dibs" Mimi calls out jumping on one of the beds, followed by the others as they claim their sleeping arrangements.

Raven smirks from her new bed as she takes off her boots. "So, Danny where you teasing?"

Alec looks at Raven with a sharp glance. "Raven no." He says sharply, "Beethoven, Raven go and find out what the rules are for the rooms and if we can order additional items." He looks at Paul with a smile, "Please take someone with you and go see what the facilities in storage look like."

Beethoven grabs Raven and her boots dragging her out of the room placing her heels in her hands. While Paul stands up and turns to the group to ask who will be joining him Danny jumps off her bed sliding herself next to Paul her wings fluttering to give herself the extra meter of distance. "Alright," Paul turns to look at Danny, "Grab a paper and pen to write down anything we need." Danny grabs a pad of paper and pen before racing after the young man who walks out of the room."

Rita laughs as the pair leave. "I think our little bird has a little crush on our medic."

Mimi places her sword/shotgun on the bed. Sighing as she tosses her shell belt after it, "I hadn't noticed." She smirks as she begins tearing the weapon down.

Alec looks at the three remaining members of his unit in the room, "Do not push them."

Rita laughs, "so you agree, she has a crush on him."

"I am not agreeing I am saying that if he wanted to be more effective he would have asked brought Tina."

Mimi sits next to Tina, "So what do you think, Does our little bird want to get her feathers ruffled by our doctor."

Tina looks at the tiger woman, "I am afraid I cannot give you much of an answer, I am not good with romantic emotions. I can tell you that Danny's heart was racing only after Raven started her teasing, and Paul's heart was beating significantly faster than normal or even during combat." Tina opens her machine gun and begins to disassemble it, "I will leave it alone. Can you pass me a rag?"

Alec tosses her a white rag and watches as she starts to pull the weapon apart. "Tina I did not see your semblance during the fight, may I ask what it is?"

Tina continues taking apart her weapon, "I was using it how do you think I got that old eighty-eight working. My semblance lets me understand mechanical and electrical system to very minute degree. And being an artificial human, I spent the last five years making sure I had just about every piece of information I could find saved inside my head. I can fix everything, make machines that seem dead work. And bring guns that are missing vital parts back to life."

"What about your childhood?" Mimi says stepping back towards her own weapon, "you are what fifteen to seventeen like most of us? Five years is a third of your life."

Tina smile coldly as she breaks down the bold of her weapon, "I was made to be a huntress, and from my conception I was ushered in that direction. I was treated well by those who were taking care of me, but my existence was paid for by the Kingdom of Vale and me and my fellows knew what we were going to be. Two serve in the army then myself and two others are now first year huntsmen. We are happy with how our lives have gone." Tina stares at the firing pin of her weapon with interest. "I am in my element in combat, when the big gun and interest in fortification are useful I can design and hell even build a fort given enough time and a machine gun is perfect of me, lots of firepower in a small package and doesn't get in the way when I want to work on something like a truck or heavy weapon."

Mimi stares as she stares at the parts of her weapon laying out, "That doesn't sound like a childhood that sounds like slavery."

Tina looks at the Tigeress, "I was part of a plan put into implementation five years after the war, it was desperate times Huntsmen retiring or dying, out of the fight and the army barely holding the line. Everyone still messed up after the rose incident, and the king being made head of state and military again. Like I said we were treated well we just had a goal in mind from birth."

"You aren't arguing that it sounds like slavery."

The artificial woman slams her weapon together, "it isn't slavery in the same way we are not child soldiers." She is still very calm as she sets the weapon aside, "we can make a difference, we can save lives, and we chose to swear the next fifteen years of our lives to serving the people of Remnant and defending them against the Grimm. The numbers state that about ten percent of us will not live to our fifth year, and another ten percent will not be able to serve by then, only half of us are expected to retire still combat effective, the rest will either be dead or so badly wounded they will be forced into early retirement, about ten percent of us will continue serving after our fifteen years. I think it is a better use of my life to risk all of that and save people than to hide behind the walls and those that stand on them. My life can be called a success if that happens and the estimated losses can be kept lower." She looks at the shot gun sword combination that Mimi calls her own, "if you replace those gears with a different alloy like this one," she shows a picture on her scroll," and shift that part to the left you can lengthen the tube magazine just enough to fit another shell. And you can use a spring like this," another picture is shown, "will still guarantee reliability. I would personally add a dust infuser that can both infuse the shells or the blade rather than just using preloaded dust ammunition, but it might be too tight. I am not sure. If not you could equip your ammunition belt with an infuser and that would at least give you the shells. Maybe you could make a new sheath for the sword that would allow you to infuse it with dust, I heard of that being done in the war." Tina taps her chin thinking.

Alec looks at the woman on the bed thinking her brow furrowed in a serious expression, "Tina." She looks us worried for a moment, "Mimi doesn't think like that a few diagrams will probably make more sense, She has used that weapon for years already she needs a better visual."

"Very sorry about that Commander Sir, I will work on something if Mimi is interested otherwise I will look into some other ideas."

Alec shakes his head, "it is just Alec Tina I am no commander or general."

Mimi shakes her head, "Oh I am interested, Dust infusion would be awesome."

Raven walks in with Beethoven in tow, she is holding a small book in her hands, "Dust infusion who is stealing my shtick and yes dust infusion is awesome." She turns to Alec, "The catalogue and rules for the rooms everything has to be approved by you. I have a few ideas that can spruce up the place when you get a chance."

"Thank you Vee, be good and stop teasing them or else."

"Fine I will be good."

"Thank you."

Paul and Danny come back into the room, "So apparently we are getting a tank and bullhead. The workshop for them and of course our lockers and a thousand square meter area for everything." Paul says with pupils the size of dishes.

Danny laughs, "Oh and we are apparently given a unit budget for dust, ammunition and everything else. It is a substantial number plus all of our earnings from missions."

Alec nods calmly, "I guess we have some reading to do. Classes start in a week, and we all have our after action reports to finish." Alec rubs his eyes, looking at the seven others, "after we sleep Raven get the lights." The sound of a whip hitting the light switch can be heard before the room goes dark.


	10. Chapter 8: The Dorm

**Hey everyone Sorry for the delay I few things came up **

**Nothing to report **

**Enjoy chapter 8 **

**As always Comments questions a and concerns in the comments**

**-Tom **

Neverending War Chapter 8

As the sun rises in the Headmistress's office, she stands staring out the tower that is her office and home. The cup of a hot drink sitting in her hand steams, she sighs as she hears steps behind her. "Alright, Azul what is our situation?"

"I spent all night going over the data from the combat squadrons those kids faced a massive force of Grimm if our counts are correct at least a third of the size of the main force we engaged. Those kids put aside their differences to hold off that horde and complete all mission objectives with no losses. If it weren't for a technically rogue rescue including the cadet pilots and mechanized team and an entire Frigate they would have all died." The man's lackadaisical persona is nowhere to be found, "I have no idea where that many Grimm came from much less with some kind of organization it is like back during the war."

The woman turns around, "the attack was worrying strong and overwhelming with that military organization and of course the jammers haven't seen those since the war." She looks at Azul, "You are telling me that I messed up hell fucked up with leaving those first years there I should have diverted forces away."

"Crimson, looking at it after the fact you should have sent forces to help them but at the time you could not have known anyway you gave me permission to let them go in a kind of secret way." Azul passes a pastry to his boss, "Classes start in a week and all of those first-year huntsmen will be turning in their reports as well as the cadets. The situation turned out about as well as we could have hoped for."

The headmistress takes the pastry and stares at the man in front of her, "has intelligence mentioned anything about where they think that attack came from?"

"The Vale army says that the attack was a normal Grimm assault with no higher command structure, and I quote 'the only known commander of Grimm has been dead for twenty years and there is no evidence that Salem can or has come back."

The Headmistress sighs, "and this is why we still need the huntsmen, the army is too prepared to go to war with other kingdoms to put more than a passing thought at the idea of the woman who almost wiped out civilization could be back. See if you can find someone we can trust who will look into it for us." She rubs her forehead with annoyance. "Sometimes I think Ozpin was right to have a secret inner circle with their own intelligence sources."

"That may be true, I mean we could easily create an inner circle. We have you, me, and that is everyone we could really trust right now, the rest retired, I do believe that Violet described your idea to bring the academies back as insane and suicidal." Azul smiles, "Keeping secrets would only get you shot and me hung. I will have someone look into the Attacks." Azul looks at his leader and walks out. "You have someone to meet you."

"Perfect. Send her in."

The young woman steps in, as The headmistress looks at her, "Miss Keller Pointer congratulations on surviving your first mission."

"Thank you ma'am," The woman shifts, "what was it you needed me for?"

"Glad you asked, You have made an enemy of a good portion of your peers. What do you have to say about that?"

"I will not apologize," The scowl on her face stiffens.

"Alright then, You have a group of likeminded people with you, they seem to be willing to back you up currently." The Headmistress sits down, "I am not going to tell you to change your stance on the Faunus and Artificials. I will tell you that it gets you nowhere to hate everyone of a single group."

"What do you know about this mess ma'am? Only a few close allies and I face no assistance from those who think I am just a racist and a hatful person."

"They fought for you made sure you survived, they seemed to allow you into the fortress and you, and your forces are alive." The Headmistress sighs, "Look I used to hate the Faunus back in the war, when one was assigned to my team I didn't trust him for weeks I knew he was going to kill my friends and rape me. I Stayed up many nights watching him terrified. We fought the Grimm and I fought him. He accepted my hatred and I gave it willingly. When we were in battle in a small town called Juxt coving another retreat I watched him die my rifle out of ammunition and no one near him he was torn to shreds by Grimm. Turns out we all scream the same Miss Pointer."

"That changed your mind about the animals."

"Oh no, the rest of the war did." The thousand-yard stare in her eyes, "It was a long war." She shakes her head, "I recommend rethinking why you feel the way you do; you are a Huntress now follow orders and don't let your personal feeling get in the way of the job. Dismissed."

The Young Huntress Walks out of the meeting with a frown on her face.

The blaring alarm wakes everyone up with a jolt, "I guess it is time to wake up," A groggy Rita moans, "Get up everyone." She sits up her wings flapping uncomfortably. Alec is standing next to her bed with a cup she rolls back, "Gah, what the hell Alec."

"Sorry they are still out cold Thought you could use a drink," He offers the cup, "Go take a shower before the fight for them comes up."

"Great, the guy that just scared me by standing over my bed is saying I smell," Rita takes the cup stretching, "I am going to go and take care of that, wake up Danny next I assume her feathers are a pain to clean properly, Who on your team is the one that take the longest?"

Alec smirks, "You don't smell but you do need a shower there is blood and dirt all over you, and Raven takes the longest. Wake her up when you are done. I will wake up Danny."

"Don't surprise her I think she put a pistol under her pillow." Rita steps into one of the bathrooms, "Thank you."

"Welcome." He turns to the Bird Faunus sleeping in the bed a few feet away one hand under her pillow, a sigh escapes his lips as he grabs another cup and fills it with coffee. He flairs his aura and steps towards the sleeping woman, "Danny, you need to wake up." She shifts the pistol in her hand moving with her dominant hand. "Danny, if you shoot me I will take it personally," he reaches over and shakes her shoulder, "Wake up."

Eyes shoot open quickly, "What is wrong?" She looks around.

"Nothing, Rita said that you should be next to take a shower," Alec offers the drink to the bird woman in front of him, "You alright, it is not normal to wake up and ask what is wrong."

"We aren't normal Alec," She stands letting her wings rest, "Thank you for the wakeup call and the drink."

"My pleasure," Alec steps aside, "Go get in the shower before one of the others wake up."

Alec watches as the woman walks away and slips into the second bathroom, "Alright Mimi Get up, I know you can hear me get up and wake up Raven."

The shuffling of the bed where the Tiger Faunus is laying, "How did you know?"

"You wake up the same time I do every day," Alec pull her out of bed, "Wake up Raven tell her she is next for the shower. Then you, followed by Paul, then Tina, Beethoven finally me." He pours a few more cups of Coffee as he hears the rousing of his more fashionable close friend. "Alright Raven I put you together some coffee for you." He turns around to face the woman in her night gown, her face angry, "Alright Raven I know this is how it has been for years, drink your coffee then get ready for your shower."

The woman follows her directions and downs the Coffee, "We had a long day yesterday Alec a few extra hours would not hurt." Her hand runs through her greasy hair, "Alright I will get my stuff together." She turns around, "I think today is a black jewel day what do you think Alec?"

"I think you always looked better with a blue crystal around your neck." Alec rolls his eyes, "But you love that black choker so I guess I will keep my mouth shut."

"You always hated that black choker Alec," Raven says with an unseen smirk, "if I didn't know I would say you just liked that the blue one sat lower on my chest." She looks over her shoulder, "of course we know better."

"Raven, Leave Alec alone," Mimi says stepping up to Raven, "you are tired, stop being a bitch and finish your coffee, and do not what ever you do continue on your train of thought." Mimi smiles kindly, "I of course think you look better in your amber necklace, easier for someone to leave marks."

Raven turns away from Mimi with a smirk, "Is that why you don't wear a necklace, don't want to get in the way of marks."

"Every morning with you two is like this," Beethoven says stretching awake, "if I didn't know the you two I would say I need to lock you into a room to get out all of this personal tension." He stands up, "How about you two share a shower and help deal with all of that sexual tension." Beethoven grabs one of the mugs of coffee, "Raven put on the Black Choker Mimi go back and bother Alec."

Rita coughs from the bathroom door, "Do I need to make room for the two of you in this shower it is kinda small but Raven is thin and Mimi is pretty lean for being a tiger." Rita steps out as she signals for Raven to take the shower, while walking over to Tina. "Honey it is time to get up. Alec made some Coffee."

Raven quietly slips into the shower. Five minute later Danny walks out her wings open still dripping from the shower, "Shower's yours Mimi. I will wake up Paul."

"I am already up, I am pretty sure no one could have slept through those two." Paul stands up, Who is next for showers?"

"That would be you then Tina, Beethoven then me," Alec replies.

Danny wraps her arms around Paul, "Couldn't you have pretended to be asleep."

"Paul you are up," Mimi says as she gets out of the shower. She draws attention of most of the people that have not known her for long, "What I clean easily, short hair simple style. Clothes that cover enough of me, plus I had to compete with Raven for shower time you learn to be fast." She explains as Paul strolls to the shower.

Tina sits up and stretches, "Maybe I should cut my hair too, it is a bit long."

Rita Laughs a little while looking at Tina's hair which is not exceptionally long, "honey your hair is not that long, and the cut you have works well for you. Makes you look good, though we need to find you some nice-looking clothes for when we are not fighting, unless you are hiding some nice clothes in that duffle bag."

Tina reaches into her bag and pulls out a version of her combat suit, "I have been told I look very nice in my combat gear Commander."

Rita raises her hand, "Oh no no no I am not going to have you calling me commander we are stuck together for fifteen years you can't call Alec Commander and you cannot call me Commander, I am Rita."

Tina Smiles mischievously as Raven walks out of the Shower, "Got it boss." She slips into the shower.

"I guess I can live with that if I have to," Rita says with a sigh pulling on her jacket, "What is on the docket for today?"

Alec finishes stacking his clothes for the day on a chair, "unpacking, Full after-action report, then an inventory of what we have and need."

Mimi sighs heavily, "But why do we have to do the reports now we have a week?" She slumps on Alec's shoulder. She wraps her arms around him.

"Because we will have fresh memories and we can make sure that as many of the First years and Cadets have the same information as we do. And you already knew the answer Mimi. Start un packing I hear both showers shutting down." A minute later both Paul and Tina step out dressed and ready. "Like I was saying start unpacking." Alec and Beethoven enter the two now free bathrooms.

Paul pulls out a few books from his bag and starts placing them on the single bookshelf, while the others start pulling their items out and stashing them in wardrobes and storage areas. A small supply of music disks and reference books begins to fill the shelves. Mimi grabs the few books from Alec's bag and Raven the books from Beethoven's. By the time the last pair of men finish their showers the room looks a little bit lived in but not like a long-term home, it is still cold it is still just quarters.

Alec stares at the room with a smile, his eyes catch Mimi. "What is it Mi?"

"The room is boring, there is no warmth," The tiger girl says.

Rita sighs, "She isn't wrong it feels a bit cold."

Tina says nothing as she rolls out blueprints for both the armored vehicle in the garage and the Bull head waiting for them, "Are you all alright with me putting these up over here on the wall?"

Beethoven laughs, "Let's put them up over here should be useful." He takes the large blueprints and helps Tina put them up. "Raven just pull out the posters in the bottom of your bag and put them up."

Paul smiles as he stares at a small picture on the table at his bed side, "the place will warm up to us don't worry." He grabs his scroll and plugs it in to a workstation, "Let's get started on these after-action reports, three pages then we are done."

The others follow the medics lead Alec and Rita writing and proofreading their team reports. Three hours of silence follows as the young adults relive their memories from the day before. The room echoes the typing and clicking, the hours pass and finally they all finish is reports and pass them around reading each other's reports making notes another hour passes in silence editing is done and finished. The reports are as close to perfect as they think they can get.

Alec sighs finally and stares at the typed-out report on the scroll screen, "Alright Rita and I will message the other teams and cadets to see if we can cross reference." He looks at the time, "lunch is in an hour, let's get a shopping list together for items we need, ammunition, weapons, food, snacks, vehicle equipment, survival equipment and so forth before then after that we call it a day. Tomorrow is a shopping trip


	11. Chapter 9: The Courtyard

**AN/ So here we are again This is a nice big chapter at 3500 words. Hopefully, you all enjoy it. **

**No major news other than that see you all in a month**

After the messages were sent to the other teams, units, the Cadet Pilots and the Cadet Captain and Crew of The Beacon Alec sighs as he places down his scroll, "Lunch anyone?" He stands up, "Probably should explore the school a little bit also."

"I could go for some food." Mimi says standing up, she turns around with a smile and looks at Raven, "Come on you will want to know where the library is anyway Raven. And Bet we will find the training rooms."

Raven rolls her eyes as Beethoven gets up and follow their leader, she gets up with a sway. "So, Rita are you all joining us?"

"We are a support team, we have to figure out what we have, we will see you tonight for dinner."

Alec nods as he walks out his weapons on his hips just like the rest of his team. Mimi leads them a step ahead of the rest skipping her way down the path. The four look over the campus and fortress the paths are all sided by thick walls that double as benches. The large green park areas are clear of trees and bushes there is only small flower beds. The four move towards the dining hall observing the layout before them the beautiful courtyard seeming empty of any standing buildings or trees the only thing taller than the flowers being the bench/walls that paralleled the paths. The massive neobeacon flag hanging down from the top of the Dining hall flutters in the light breeze. The entire fortress stretches out around them the buildings each like a smaller fortress. The inside of the Cafeteria is lined will long heavy wooden tables and benches there are some students sitting around the tables eating the food that has been made by the organized and prepared kitchen staff. Dozens of weapons are mounted on the walls, each one special, unique. A few faces turn to see the newcomers, the four walk towards the mess line.

With food in hand the four work their way towards an empty area of the mess hall off to one side, the window lets the sunlight in warming the area. Mimi places down her tray and stretches in the sunlight. Alec sits next to her and Beethoven and Raven sit across the table from them. Alec looks around as he takes bites of his food. "The library is directly East of the Dorms and the Training Room is North of that."

Mimi lets out a content sigh, "The Classrooms are to the West across from the Training rooms the Staff Offices and Quarters are South of that."

Raven annoyingly sighs, "Are we really doing this?"

Beethoven smirks as he continues the conversation, "The Courtyard is a fully open field nothing interrupting line of site but the short walls on either side of the walkways. As the as Assistant headmaster seemed to suggest each of these building are fortresses in their own."

Raven rolls her eyes, "Yeah I know you all like doing this but really are you surprised that Fortress Beacon is a massive defensive structure with smaller defenses that are designed to support an internal defense. There are also at least ten levels going down, one holds multiple fighter squadrons and a Brother's damned Frigate, at least a Mechanized Division and the equipment for all the assigned Hunter teams and units. This place also has Massive guns that can fire thousands of Kilometers on its walls and a fairly large garrison."

Alec finishes his food, "So with this as the center of the Defense of the City of Vale why did a massive Grimm horde attack during the initiation test? Grimm may be unintelligent, but they do not throw their existence for nothing."

Mimi looks at her partner and leader, "Are you suggesting that something ordered that attack? Because that is impossible the Great Grimm War ended with the killing of Salem and her entire Inner Circle."

"That is what the history says," as a large man steps up causing discomfort among the four in his presence. Realizing they do not recognize him he smiles, "Very sorry I am Maximillian Cadet Captain of the Combat Frigate Beacon." The man's smile looks like he is baring teeth. His skin covered in fur; ears sit on top of his head large and holding a numbered tag.

Alec smiles, "Well Captain Take a seat with us we were discussing this fortress." He Motions over next to Mortem who seems least put off by his dis comforting aura.

"As I had noticed," He looks to see both Mimi and Raven shifting uncomfortably, "If I make you uncomfortable I can leave I know how I look is not," he stops thinking of the word, "helpful."

Mimi shakes her head, "No, no you sit, I have never seen a brother Faunus like you it took me by surprise."

Raven clears her voice, "Sit down, you are one of us and you helped save our asses, the fact that not a damn person in here offered you as seat is a shame."

"Thank you," He sits down placing his food on the table, "I can't blame them I was built for them to hate me." He takes a bite of his food, "I agree with you on this whole Grimm attack a class three Grimm horde is a large force, and of course then there is the radio Jamming there was something that blocked messages from Beacon to you at the Outpost and vice versa."

"You forgot the part were a completely separate Grimm horde attacked the Outpost," Hayley says walking up with her food tray setting it down.

Alec looks at the new arrival, "so two Grimm hordes mount an organized two front attack and jam our communication, and made the Headmistress worried enough that she did not send help to us."

Mimi's eyes narrow, "It is definitely a coincidence, probably just radio problems at the worst times." Her hand reaches for her weapon as Alec stops her.

Maximillian's eyes narrow, "Of course a series of mistakes and unlucky events."

Hayley takes a sip of her drink, "Yeah obviously those flocks of Nevermores and Lancers were definitely not there with the single intent to provide some type of Air support for the ground hordes. We all just got unlucky, very unlucky."

Alec looks back and forth between the five others in front of him, "So did you get my units message?"

Hayley nods, "Oh yes the squadrons will work on giving you any missing information, Thank you for including the part where you claim that you ordered us to return and pick you up with whatever reinforcements we could gather. I like how you claim that you had command authority because we gave you ground command."

"My quartermaster is a damn good writing expert she has some recommendations; she will be sending everything your way soon. Hayley she is recommending you do not mention the Assistant Headmasters talk with us and giving us the assignment of operation Prometheus." Maximillian continues the conversation as Hayley quiets down.

"Operation Prometheus?" Raven asks looking at the pair.

"Ah never mentioned that," Hayley says scratching her head, "the Assistant Headmaster walked in on us planning our little rescue mission he gave us permission and operation name Prometheus."

"Agreed leave it out," Mortem says, "if he was told to do it the Headmistress will already know, if she doesn't sometime secrets are best kept."

Maximillian, "Well thank you for a wonderful lunch conversation I believe I need to return to my ship." He gets up and leaves without another word.

"I am afraid that if I don't get back to my squadron they might to use the wing of a fighter as a ping pong table again, I will be seeing you again everyone." Hayley says as she quickly walks out of the Mess Hall.

Alec sighs looking around the Mess Hall, "Well that was fun."

Raven sighs as she stands up, "Maximillian said he was built to be hated, an odd way of saying that right."

Mimi stands up, "He doesn't smell right, he smells… He smells like aggression, and violence, he smells like something to be feared."

The Four start their walk towards the Library, Raven shakes he head, "It isn't just his smell he looks like an exaggerated version of Faunus; I have never heard of a Faunus with that kind of traits. His teeth are animalistic he looks more like what you would read in the old anti Faunus books."

Alec nods, "You are right, while you are looking around the library see what you can find."

"Of Course, I will meet you at sixteen hundred hours at the dorm," Raven splits off heading towards the Library."

"Mimi go with her."

"Got it." Mimi follows Raven splitting off from the boys.

Beethoven shifts his walk as he turns towards the training building, "Alec I have not seen you like this, what is going on?"

"Don't know Bet but there is more to this, but we are not in a position to stress we must prepare though." Alec walks through the doors to the training rooms, "I don't like what we are seeing, there is more to this than we have been told."

"The five kingdoms are more ready for war than the four were before the Great War. The Academies are still not ready for anything though they are ramping up in four to eight years the academies will be pushing out almost a thousand fully trained fourth year hunters their units fully equipped and ready for any Grimm incursions."

"I know but that still suggests a massive command and control network for the Grimm," Alec says stepping into the main lobby and general gym area. Of course, this is a standard and general gym for hunters, ten tons is what the weights max at, the treadmills look like what you would use to test cars at speed and the punching bags are held up with reinforced chains. Alec takes note of the room's devices and tools, and the size of the room five thousand square meters with enough equipment to train an army. A map on one wall next to stairs and the elevator show four more levels with training room, simulators, with two more dedicated to fight simulators. "Is it up to expectations Bet?"

"You could train an army here, of course that is what is going on isn't it."

"I wouldn't call it an army," A soft spoken voice says from the desk, the woman standing behind she is small and petite wearing a staff uniform, "the new hunters system is not an army it is a system of fully independent eight man cells that can perform complex and effective battle against all foes. Although most of your training is focused on the Grimm but as has been shown by the Great Grimm War the Grimm are not the only enemies to Civilization." She smiles utterly sweetly, "By the way my name is Abigale you two must be from the new First Year Hunters."

Alec reaches out his hand, "Alec Tross Leader of team AMBR and unit leader of AMBR-RPTD. This is one of my teammates Beethoven Rening."

Abigale takes Alec's hand and shakes it, "I read the preliminary report on your test yesterday, you all did admirably though I do look forward to a full report made from your after-action reports. I look forward to how you convinced three squadrons of cadet pilots, a frigate, and an entire mechanized team to break orders and evacuate you. Want to give me a sneak peek." She leans in with excitement.

"I am afraid not; my part of the story would not be the full picture and it would be very unprofessional to skew your opinion." Alec smiles looking at her again, two pistols sit in shoulder holsters. Two magazines under each pistol.

"Ah well I guess you are right," Abigale leans back against her counter, "do you all have any questions?"

"Actually, yes," Beethoven smiles as he steps forward, "What are the rules to reserving a room?"

Abigale smiles as she picks up a forty-pound barbel she was using as a paper weight, "Training rooms can be reserved for individual use or group use, reservations must be made twenty-four hours ahead of time at least. The Training facility is open every day all day including multiple medical staff from the medical wing underground. It is directly connected to it by a few hallways. The rooms are self-repairing holographic combat simulators will multiple predesigned scenarios, though if you are feeling creative you can design your own. The flight simulators are also open to all students but cadets and hunter pilots. Every hallway has a cleaning closet at the end in case you end up bleeding or deciding to have sex. I will warn you now it isn't worth it, and all of the rooms have cameras, just go find somewhere else please. Other than that, standard rules apply no fighting in the gym that is what the training rooms are for, no using your weapons outside of the training rooms, don't piss off the staff." She shrugs as she hands over a few pamphlets, "Not many new Hunters came in today probably were too tired."

Beethoven smile nodding as he checks the papers, "Alec I am going to check out this new equipment I will catch you in a few hours."

Alec looks around, "Alright see you at sixteen hundred."

"I will see you then."

"Good because if you aren't on time I am sending Raven to get you." With a wave Mortem gives a reply silently.

Alec steps out of the Gym, a calm smile on his face. He starts to walk calmly across the courtyard to the classrooms. Not many people are out it is still a new place for them, and they are adjusting. He walks past small groups of second year Hunters and Staff still preparing for the new school year. Alec finds his way across the courtyard he is ignored by everyone else; he stops in front of the large building that holds all of the classrooms.

"How are you liking my school so far Mr. Tross," The head mistress asks calmly from one side. She stares at him with a smile that has no warmth.

Alec laughs once before looking at her, "In three years you will be producing twenty-five Hunter units with four years of experience, arguably fully trained and equipped, with support and logistical skills. It is an impressive institution especially when you look at the fact there are five Kingdoms each doing the same."

The Headmistress frowns, "That is true, although I would argue that Atlas will be producing more units that us and Menagerie will be making less. This new system is more effective than the old ways of individual Hunters sometimes working in pairs." She signals, "Would you walk with me?" Alec nods falling in beside her, "I understand your worries it looks like I am making an army of super soldiers, this whole system was pushed by me and my allies. I promise that I do not plan on making a world order with you kids as my army."

Alec shrugs, "Ma'am I am going to be honest with you I wish that your plan was just to take over the world or run a shadow war like your predecessor." A sigh escapes him, "If you were really pushing for an obedient army you would punish the Cadets and Mechanized Team."

"That is true." She looks towards her student, "good job on that by the way you were able to get a number of disagreeing groups with adverse opinions and stances to work together. A good sign of high-level leadership potential."

"Thank you ma'am."

"And how you earned the trust of the Pilot Cadets to such a point that they disobeyed direct orders just to save you. That is something that I haven't seen for years."

"Thank you ma'am."

"You have a personality about you, it draws people like that to you. Once you finish with your service period you should go into politics." Alec stops looking at the older woman's smirking face, "Marry you Faunus partner get the unified support, you could get far."

"I am afraid Mimi will not agree to that. Headmistress you are getting off topic." Alec says flustered but trying to conceal it.

"And what topic were we on child?"

"Why you need an army ma'am. According to everything I have been told my whole life, the Grim are broken no leadership, the queen lay in ash were she was destroyed her lieutenants are dead and buried also, her allies are ours now but you need an army. Yesterday we faced an organized horde, it almost broke us, while attacking Vale and jamming our radios we faced death and defeat. You almost lost two hundred fresh Hunters, and a years' worth of potential. Ma'am I have been told we are at Peace, but we are hiding behind walls with forces entrenched, we don't expand and very few of the outer villages grow beyond their walls. Headmistress what are we going to war against?"

"When I proposed the new academies, I did not do it because of a threat I did it to save civilization, to help expand into the outer lands using prepared and safe Hunters. Now what we are facing now, I could not tell you. I cannot tell you that you will have a peaceful life with a guaranteed easy out there will be death and pain, people will die. I cannot tell you why, or who we will face. But we have to hold off this enemy until the academies can get into full swing." She sighs looking at the young man in front of her, most importantly child going to war, she shakes away the images from her past of children with weapons and helmets that are too big fearfully looking at the black mass of Grimm.

"Are the Grimm getting stronger?"

"I can't tell you, our reports from military intelligence say no, but I have recently found that the military is to focused on facing the other Kingdoms rather than the Grimm."

"I see," Alec looks at the older woman, "so three years till we can reliably be producing one thousand Hunters with 'Graduate' experience."

"Yes, by your fifth year you would be considered a fully trained Hunter. Why."

Alec looks at the ground, "Ma'am three years is too long, you will have to send us on missions that are extremely dangerous. I grew up in Strip death is not new to me, it isn't the kindest place in the world a lot of Grimm and Bandits, I brought my friends here to have us fight for something more than that piece of land. But I did not bring them here to die against an enemy we don't understand."

"I don't plan on being in the dark for long Mr. Tross," The Headmistress Growls. "I will find who is trying to destroy this sliver of hope we have."

"What do you want me to say ma'am. Everyone of us has sworn the next fifteen years to protecting civilization against all threats, if that means Salem so be it ma'am we will fight. All I ask is that it does not mean we die as forgotten pawns in a fight that was not needed. Do not let us become one of ten thousand forgotten names on one of a thousand statues. Don't let us be remembered as people who had to be sacrificed, let us be known as those who chose our path and did not regret it."

"I don't want more children's blood on my hands."

"The remember that we are not children Ma'am we are hunters, sworn to fight for Civilization, no matter what they are, who they are Human, Faunus, Synthetic, Man, Woman, Child, Whether they are from Vale, Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo, or Menagerie. Every one of us has sworn with every fiber of what we are to defend them with our lives. We know what that meant." Alec stares at the woman, "Thank you for the walk I must go and find my people." Alec leaves and turns to return to his dorm, his coat blowing as he moves. The time is 15:58 as Alec pushes through the door. Everyone is there seven sets of eyes stare at him as he smiles.

"Almost was late there boss," Rita laughs shifting her wings.

"We don't have to worry about them, they will fight." Crimson Imerta says sitting down in her office as she looks at her Assistant Headmaster.

"Well Crimson I figured they would they seem like a fine bit of kids." Azul says sitting down at the desk also.

"They will fight for the people, but I can't believe that they will fight where we tell them. They are an insubordinate lot who will ignore orders when it suits them."

"Sounds about Right."

"How does it feel? Knowing that all of your time and effort has been for nothing?"


	12. Chapter 10: Civillian Side

**Alright Here we go Chapter 10 **

**If you all enjoy please leave comments and questions I think I will do a real Q and A.**

The morning comes quickly after the members of Amber Riptide finally finish talking about their equipment situation. A massive list of requisitions is sitting next to Alec's bed. The alarm goes off and Alec gets up as everyone else rouses. After the morning routine that is becoming normal repeats the previous day. Mimi smiles as she straps on her combat armor and weapon, "So are we going to go shopping today."

Rita stretches, "We do have to pick up a few items, we need a restock on personal ammunition, a few personal items and more things for the room. We also need ten gallons of paint for things."

Raven looks at Rita, "Ten gallons?!"

Danny laughs, "um well we kinda want to do some minor art."

Tina looks on, "They want to paint the Bullhead and the APC to look different."

Alec sighs, "Alright well I am sending the requisition forms out to the supplies division. Let's go into the city we need to find a dust shop that can supply our ammunition."

"Yeah and we need to find clothing stores, bookstores, music stores, parks, restaurants," Mimi starts explaining.

Paul smiles, "Alright then a day on the town, the next transport to the city should launch in fifteen minutes," His pack and pistol sitting in their rightful places.

Alec gets up and starts walking, as the others file out after him. The eight walks out of the room and head towards the large air transport waiting for passengers. As they land and disembark they find themselves in downtown Vale, a city that is only ten years old, newly built, and finally not a reminder of a blood-soaked battle in the streets. The Eight are intercepted by an excited looking Rabbit Faunus, "Alec, Mimi, Beethoven, Raven, I am so glad to see you."

"Hannah," Mimi says hugging the woman, "I haven't seen you since the outpost. You look good. How is David."

Hannah smiles, "It has been a busy last few days, my leader has been busy putting together reports and learning about what he is dealing with. David is around here somewhere I dragged him with me." Hannah lets go of Mimi before looking at the rest of the group, her large weapon sitting on her back, "The whole unit huh, It is good to see you eight again."

Rita smiles her wings shifting. "Thank you Hannah, What are you doing in the city?"

"Oh my Aunt, Fought alongside some people who have a Dust shop out here and I was setting up to get my special ammunition for my Rifle, Custom eighteen millimeter high explosive rocket propelled sabot rounds with dust infusion is not the easiest thing to resupply and the battle the other day used up every round I had." Her head bounces back and forth explaining, "Normally I make my own, but I need almost eight hundred to restock so yeah." She hops up excited, "And David needed more cannon shells and dust."

"Han, who have you found?" David asks, "Oh hot damn, Alec, Didn't think that we would see you till classes started." He reaches out to shake Alec's hand. "I don't think any of have said it but thank you for saving me and Hannah, and probably more of us. You were able to keep us all in one piece while we held out for help."

Alec takes his hand, "I was happy to be there."

"Let's meet up once everyone is settled, I have heard you have some very interesting things happening around you. But right now, I have to get Hannah back to the Dorms before she talks your units ears off about how hard it is to find ammunition for her and my weapons." He laughs pointing at the Rabbit girl bouncing excitedly as she explains different things about the pair of weapons. "The scary part is in a day and a half she has tons of information about my weapon." He begins to step away, "If you ever need us Alec just call." He walks towards the Rabbit girl, "Come on Hannah the Boss said to be back ASAP."

"Oh right," She turns to walk away, "Visit that shop all right." She walks allowing her pace to match David's.

Raven looks at Alec, "She gave us a map."

"Well then I guess we have our first stop eh." Alec signs for Raven to lead the way.

"So just for the record and my mental notes," Paul says with a hand wave, "They like each other right?"

"Oh yeah," Danny says her wings fluttering and losing a feather. "That will be interesting to see by the way, especially with the way she fights."

"Yes From what I remember of the battle in melee she uses a kickboxing style mixed with her scythe to stay airborne," Tina Comments, "she would be a difficult enemy combatant that scythe lets her shift her weight mid-air with extreme precision and her already strong legs enhanced with aura could let her reach many meters in the air without assistance. And of course, she can use dust infused ammunition to increase that height."

"Not as good as wings, but near close to second," Danny says fluttering her wings.

The group follows Raven as she leads them following the map to the dust shop. "She says it is named Pink and Red."

The group goes down side streets until they find the small shop. They push open the door, and the small bell rings as they enter. The middle-aged man behind the counter smile a magenta dyed strip. "Welcome in children, My name is Lee and I am the owner of this little shop. He waves his hand over his large store. What brings you in today."

"We are students from Beacon, teams Amber and Riptide, we make up a huntsman unit Amber Riptide. We were told that you were the best shop to help us resupply, we used a lot of our supplies during our first mission in the forest."

"Ah yes we had heard about a large force of huntsmen trapped outside the walls. I heard that there was some good teamwork out there. So what do you need?" Lee smiles as he stands behind his Counter.

Rita steps forward, "Um, I have a list of dust and Ammunition, and Art Dust and Dust related devices we were hoping to have assistance acquiring."

"Absolutely what is you name young lady?"

"Rita Klong, leader of support team Riptide. It was a major fight," she passes the electronic pad with the alphabetized and numbered list of the items that had been decided that are needed.

"Three hundred, eighty-eight-millimeter shells, fifty fire dust shells, twenty-five wind dust shells, ten earth dust, ten ice dust, the rest are standard art dust shells? That is a bit of fire power, your armored personnel carrier uses a modern Vacuan made forty-millimeter auto cannon, last time I heard of them being used was during the Grimm war as a multipurpose anti air and anti-ground weapon."

Tina rubs the back of her head, "We acquired it, Can you help us with supply."

"Of course, I can gather you anything you need, I will need you to supply me with your licenses and weapon requirements I understand that Beacon will supply you with standard weapons and equipment. I will invoice the school and they will take any cost out of your allowance and pay." Lee smiles looking around the eight. "Are you looking for anything else, weapons or spare equipment?"

Alec looks around as only he and Rita stand at the counter the rest of the pair of teams look around the larger shop. "Actually, I am looking for a compact sniper rifle, it needs to fire thirteen-millimeter rounds, fully capable of using high explosive rounds. Being able to switch to a melee is not required but maybe a spear or something really a bayonet would be enough. Can you keep an eye out for something like that?"

Lee leans over the counter and stares at Alec for a long minute, "I know someone who could create you such a weapon, A person who would be happy to do so for a new huntsman." He stands up, "I will message them."

"Thank you sir." Alec nods.

Lee looks at the group, "Alright I will have everything shipped to your supply. The charges will be put on your accounts."

The eight nod as the door opens and a should length red haired woman who looked about as old as Lee, "I am back, The barbecue place added a few extra rolls of sweet bread." She sees the eight Huntsmen standing in front of her, "Oh have you had food from The Sunshine Barbeque." She puts down the bags and runs over to the young people. "They have amazing ribs and rolls." The middle-aged woman starts getting excited, "It is run by some friends and they always have room for Huntsmen and Huntresses." She smiles hopping a little, "It is down the street, next to the park, a great place big yellow, with black accents, you should be able to find it easily." The woman laughs, "Off you go, it is almost lunch, Lee will send everything you need." She shoos them all out.

"So down the street huh," Beethoven says with a shrug.

"Yeah I guess food sounds good," Danny says walking forward.

It takes about ten minutes for the group to find the large open park with a large yellow building with The Sunshine Barbeque in black letters. Music Wafted through the park as the group came closer. The upbeat tune lightening the atmosphere of the park. Children play in the parks play ground and for the eight realize that this may be the first time in the city that they have seen people relaxing outdoors most definitely the first time they have heard children laugh.

The eight enter the restaurant and are immediately greeted by a woman with blond hair. She smiles as she speaks, "Welcome in, are you all here for lunch."

"Yes ma'am," Alec replies with a smile of his own.

"Now lets see eight of you, right this way I have a corner booth just for you."

It is Paul that speaks of the taboo being allowed first, "Uh ma'am do you need us to store our weapons with your bar?" He asks, as it is not normal for normal restaurants or eateries to allow weapons with out checking them. Only dedicated Huntsmen establishments usually allow weapons to be kept. The number of civilians in the establishment do not suggest a focus of the defenders of Civilization.

"Oh no honey, you keep those. People may become uncomfortable with it but they forget how many we left behind during the war no one had a problem with us having weapons while we ate. Needless to say, keep them sheathed while you are eating." She points them to a corner booth, "Lisa will be you server, be nice to her she is my niece."

The group takes their seats, and not five minutes later a much younger woman probably younger than the already young huntsmen in the booth, "Hello my name is Lisa and I will be your server." She wiggles her light colored cat ears as she smiles and hands out the menus, "What can I get you all for drinks," She reaches for her pad of paper sat next to a pair of nun chucks, "I recommend the Sweet tea, but we have all the usuals, soft drinks, coffee, juice, hot tea, you name it we have it." She excitedly bounces a little her weapon swinging."

"Sweet Tea please."

"Can I have a coffee."

"Tea sounds Wonderful."

"Water Please."

"Make that two waters."

"Can you hit me with a strawberry soft drink."

"Apple Juice please."

"Mint tea thank you."

Lisa Takes down the orders, "I will be right back with those and will take your orders for food." A minute later she returns holding a large tray with their drinks in her hands. She closes her eyes for a second and smiles as two solid but glowing clones of herself begin taking the drinks and distributing them. "You are all students at Beacon Right, the New Hunters?"

"Yeah we are," Mimi replies watching the show, "Looks like you are pretty good at controlling those."

"Thank you I want to go to Beacon also Like my parents, but…" She wavers as the two clones disappear, "My parents say that our families have given up enough for the next couple of generations." She smiles a bit, "So what can we get for you?"

"I believe we were told your ribs are amazing," Raven says with a smile.

"Oh, they are, is that what you are going to order?" A round of nods answers her. "So, since Val sent you does that mean you want rolls too?"

"Val?" Alec asks.

"She never does introduce herself, redhead about Aunties age married to Lee down the road, always sends people here."

"Then yes that is who sent us." Tina replies understanding the situation.

"And yes, on the rolls." Danny says quickly.

Lisa smiles as she turns around and sashays away. Fifteen minutes later food is on their table. As they finish and pay as they walk out.

They turn themselves to the shops down the street, shops that are full of normal people. That sell normal items, dresses without straps for armor, jeans with no reinforcement on the knees, bags and back packs not designed to hold ammunition. The looks they get from those shops tells them that they do not have what they want. A woman looks at them and tells them they are on the wrong street; the huntsmen suppliers are one street over. She means kindness but the looks she gives the weapons shows a level of fear. A police officer asks them minutes later if they are looking for one of the Hunt stores and tells them to make a right up ahead and that they will be back where they need to be before anyone answers. He means well they can tell Vale is a big city and they look young.

As they turn down the street as told a pair of men hiding their faces turn, realizing their next victims were Hunters, their knives disappear before they can do anything else.

"I think we should head back to Beacon, nothing to shop for here." Alec says calmly before turning his unit towards the Bullheads to Beacon.

A large man with a hammer two handed hammer see them turn away, "Aye Kids you from Beacon."

"Yes sir."

"Ah, you must be first years. My name is Scarlet, most call me Scar, I run the Bakery right over there." He points to a small shop front. He sighs as he looks at group. "Looks like you all went down the Wrong street."

"It seems we did," Paul replies with a sigh.

"I know how you must feel, it isn't they don't like you or aren't thankful. But we are just so much dangerous to them. They think that we will accidentally break them."

"We understand."

"Now you all need to head on back to the school, remember next time you head to the Civvies side just leave you weapons and combat gear behind. That way you don't scare them." He smiles a giant smile, "but next time you are down here you stop by Scarlet's Bakery and get some cookies."

Raven smiles, "Of course, thank you Scarlet."

Team Amber Riptide Return to the school, as the city of Vale continues on normally. Its citizens still pretending that it's defenders against the darkness are something more than children, who have agreed to give up their young adult lives to defend them.


	13. Chapter 11: Gun Shopping

**Hello everyone**

**I known that we have been spending a lot of time on this first couple days for the gang but I wanted to make the world look interesting. I will be jumping to classes for them soon and their more normal daily life. I would love to hear what you all think about the whole story. **

The next morning moves slowly, the eight members of Amber Riptide, sit at a table in the cafeteria. Their breakfasts forgotten and half eaten. "So, the people of Vale are uncomfortable with Huntsmen?"

"Oh, that isn't why they don't like seeing us," A man steps forward he is obviously a second-year huntsman. "They are still coping with the idea that their safety rests on the shoulders of people who can not legally drink, at least not without a law that makes all huntsmen adults." He shifts, "almost all of them fought in the War but here they see children just like they were in the war." He shrugs, "I am afraid it is something that you have to get used to, we have our districts where we are normal, they have the rest of the city. It is nothing official but we try to not be as noticed when we are in town, Most of us have concealed weapons I personally recommend Arcs Arms, best concealeds I have seen, and of course the traditional rocket lockers with their 1800 kilometer range with eh good stuff. Your huntsman license will keep you out of trouble with police." He sighs, "I know what you are thinking but really I am just trying to help you out, they are thankful to us, but they are scared of what we represent."

Tina asks before everyone else, "so what do they think we represent?"

"Child soldiers, tricked and manipulated to being soldiers with stories of heroics and promises of an easy life." The large man sighs, "It is what they think." He turns and walks away leaving the others to their forgotten meals. "Oh, the school covers the concealed weapons on top of the normal costs, it is an accepted expense." He disappears into the crowd more easily."

Raven looks up from her scroll, "he is right concealed weapons are covered under a separate fund."

Alec picks up his tray, "Well come on we have weapons to pick up, once we get back everyone should have replied and we can send in our after-action reports, all of our supplies will be delivered today."

Mimi is up in an instant, "Well I always like a new gun, maybe a nice tiny little number like one of those spy pistols."

Rita follows, "I sure as all hell am not going out into the city unarmed, damned racists make it to big of a risk."

"Come on, I would like to see the city with out being pushed aside." Paul moves aside and of course following him close is Danny. Everyone else follows with no complaints.

Another flight down to the city drops them off as they begin looking for Arcs Arms. It doesn't take long as they walk into the shop. Weapons sitting in one of a thousand racks. Pistols sit open and ready. The middle-aged Blond man smiles from behind the counter, a rifle in his hand half disassembled, "Welcome into Arcs arms, I am Jaune Arc, what brings you all in?"

A woman steps in her long red hair making everything else seem colorless, the grease smudges on her cheek and clothes show she has been working on something, the clinking as she steps is the most disconcerting, it sounds like metal heels. "Alright Jaune, the new stock is all checked and ready."

"Thanks, Pyrrha those should fill out the inventory for all the new students, and I am sure Crimson will want another couple dozen standard."

Pyrrha looks at the eight, a softness in her eyes, "Are you all looking for concealeds?" She steps out from the counter the clinking following her. Both her legs are made of metal polished to perfection with a bronze color, "We just got in some beautiful options," she frowns. "Take a look over there, call one of us if you need anything."

The group walks over to the smaller weapons, as they look and try to get a feel for the weapons that are very different from what they are used to. Dozens of compact weapons from folding knives and staffs to small short barreled pistols. Some of the group have an easier time picking a weapon than others, Rita picks up one of the collapsing staffs with pure fire dust mixed into the end. Paul and Danny puck smaller pistols that they can hide on their bodies, easily. Tina Looks at a weapon that more than likely would break a Huntsman's arm if used by a living being she hefts the small but still large bored weapon in her hand.

"An interesting choice," Jaune says, "That is a fifteen-millimeter semi-automatic pistol it kicks like a mule and really only artificials can use it." He stars at it dropping the magazine, "Four rounds plus one in the chamber, testing had it putting down a Beowolf at five meters as long as you hit a weak point in one shot. A friend of mine designed it, really she designed them all, she still marks each one even though they are mostly made in a factory now. Always marks them." He point to a hand hammered stamping on the receiver, a small rose.

"That will be sufficient," Tina looks at the large bore pistol. "Can I have a concealed holster also please?"

"Of Course." Jaune pull a measuring tape from his pocket and take a few measurements before leading tina over to a few options. Alec looks at the weapons, Raven reaches for a flexible wire sword that can use electric dust to harden into a point. Beethoven tries on a pair of brass knuckles and inspects them on his hands. Mimi looks at the weapons sadly and steps back.

Alec picks up a small pistol and smiles as he flips it over in his hand, "Hey Mi, this is what you were looking for right, one of those spy pistols." He hands over the small pistol, "It is a copy of one of those standard spy pistols but set up to use dust." The small pistol is barely bigger than the palm of Alec's hand. The memorable look is sleek and easy to draw, a six round magazine is raced along the front by dust of four colors.

"Yeah it is what I was looking for. But how am I supposed to carry it," She points to her normal style of clothes, "I don't have any space to fit it, My shirt and Pants don't give much room."

Pyrrha steps forward with her usual kind smile. "Oh, that is simple honey," She slips a light vest on over her normal clothes, "Set up with a vest or button up shirt and wear a shoulder holster." She squares up Mimi's shoulders, "You have the boy to cover up the rig, and enough, erm, assets to make sure no one cares to look too closely. Four extra magazines on the other side and you are set." She tosses Mimi a basic black shoulder holster rig, "That's what I use when I go out in my civilian clothes, no one questions it."

Mimi smiles as she pulls the rig on, "Yeah but you are The Pyrrha Nikos you could walk around with a bazooka and no one would question it."

Pyrrha places a vest on Mimi, "I may be Pyrrha Nikos, but I still have to be presentable, and unfortunately unlike a few people I used to know I can't get away with a cane that is also a Cannon." She smiles, "Anyway I am not as well known as when I was a kid, after the Fall of Beacon and when I lost my legs, I think I stopped being the invincible girl. Really after all that Jaune and Ruby became the faces of our teams. I think more people probably recognize him than me." She places a vest on Mimi and smiles, "I think you could pull it off."

Mimi Smiles as she pulls on the vest, "I think I can pull off the look."

"I think that is everyone," Rita says walking over to the counter.

Mimi looks over to Alec who is walking up with a chrome pistol.

"Alright then. Now please hand over your Huntsman Identification Cards." Jaune places a stack of eight boxes on the counter each with the weapons they had chosen as Pyrrha scans the identification cards.

"I took the liberty of setting you all up with a holster a combat knife and sheath and a back up pistol for you who chose to not have a pistol, also four throwing knives and a few pieces of micro explosives." Jaune smiles as he passes the boxes out, "Beacon covers these this time, but you are responsible for restock."

Tina stares at the box, "This much fire power when we are supposed to be blending in with the civilians, this is more like preparing for war rather than a stroll down Main Street."

"Never hurts to be over armed." Jaune smiles as he writes up receipts, "Off you all go change into some normal clothes and have a good walk around the City." He shoos the group out of the shop.

"So, do any of us have 'normal' clothes," Tina asks using her hand to emphasize normal.

Danny looks at everyone, "No none of us have normal clothes, we all look like huntsmen all of our clothes look like huntsmen's clothes we have been preparing for this most of our lives." She smacks her head, and sighs, "Let's get back to the school we have to send our reports in and set up our class stuff. Maybe we can order normal clothes." She walks away holding her box of weapons.

Beethoven nods, "So are we going to go to Scarlet's Bakery?"

"I just want to go back to school we have things to do, and I have to deal with the everything. You want a tank driven, a Bullhead flown, hell even Navigation done, I am your girl. I am good at it I have always been good at it; I can strip a V-8 down in half a day and have it polished and put together by the same time the next day. You want a Grimm horde blown up? I can probably pull that off." She sits down on one of the benches, "Look I grew up in a village, being useful and able to kill Grimm was seen as nice I was treated like I was normal. Here I am looked at with fear and disappointment I am told to stay away from the people I have already said I would die for. This is insanity." She is crying at this point, sobbing into her hands.

Paul sits down next to her pulling her into his shoulder, "Its alright we will all get through this, we just have to get used to it, it'll be fine."

The sound of a cane tapping stops behind them, "I hate seeing my students like this, I am sorry." The Assistant Headmaster Stares at the group, "I am sorry that the civilians don't want to see you, I am sorry that you feel like you gave up a chance at a normal life." His voice quivers and a small spasm runs up his leg, he steps towards Danny and kneels in front of her his face level with hers. "This is not fair to you; you have given them fifteen years of your life at the very least you have sworn to stand a line in the stand and fight. They do not hate you; but the idea of what you represent they can't look you in the eyes. I am sure you have heard over and over again that they don't want to think that children are going to die for them. That is right, but the big trick is when they were kids they fought and died right next to me they watched Beacon Fall and remember the ghostly signals from Ozpin after. They remember when this girl barely older than them ended the Vale council and placed the King back in charge. But they forget something also, something they cannot remember, something they cannot believe. You see they had no choice the war found them, and their governments handed them guns and swords and said fight. You chose this, you have said that you think that serving civilization, protecting the barely lit flame from overwhelming darkness, is what you want to do. I doubt most of you parents agreed with the choice. Hell, most of the Huntsmen have done their best to convince their children to not join. And of course, a lot of us never had kids for reasons." Danny stares at the man in his suit one knee on the ground and leaning on his cane. She looks at him reading into his face, he stares back his leg spasming again. "They are worth it," The man says with an ambiance and resounding guarantee in his voice, "they are worth it, the blood, the screams, the memories that you don't want. I know it is hard to believe a damaged man." His eyes harden, "It is worth it, and it always will be." He stands up and steady's himself, "Now my students, Head back to the school get your reports sent to the Headmistress, She is looking forward to them all saying the same thing repeatedly." He stands up and turns around, "She is going to make do the paperwork."

The eight stand there as the headmaster of the school walk away, Paul keeps rubbing Danny's back. "He is right we have a job to finish up," he pulls Danny up and helps her get situated, "Let's go back to school. Come on."

Everyone follows quietly the group walking to the transport station. The trip to the dorm rooms is equally as quiet. Once they get in Danny looks back, "Alright Raven and Mimi I am going to need help from you two while Rita and Alec start sending out our reports."

"What are we going to be doing?"

"Finding out where we can get civilian clothes, come on." She drags the two women away without another word.

Alec opens up his scroll and a terminal, "looks like everyone has replied, a few changes need to be made but we are on a roll to send our reports off."

Rita sits down and plugs her scroll into another terminal, "Alright I'll start my edits."

Beethoven looks at Tina, "wanna come with me to gym?"

Tina shakes her hand, "No I have a few things I have to work on in the workshop."

"Alright, Paul want to come along?"

"Yeah I think I should take a look, and I want to see if I can pick up anything I can for medical techniques from the library after."

As the last their teams leave Alec and Rita type away. "I am worried about Danny's outburst," Rita says not looking up from her keyboard.

"We should keep an eye on her but we I can't blame her; I think a lot of us were put off by the situation."

They keep typing, "It is unfair right? We are fighting to protect them, and they don't want to see us."

"We just need to accept it; We just have to get used to it. This is our lives for the next fifteen years."

"Or until a Grimm kills us."

"No one is dying here Rita; we are going to make it to retirement."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep Alec; we all know what we signed up for and fifteen years is a long time." Rita pulls out her scroll, "Last one sent."

Alec pull his, "Mine too everyone else has sent theirs, the Headmistress should be happy." He looks at Rita, "There is a war on the horizon, Rita, something is commanding the Grimm again."

"Yeah I noticed, we have a massive attack right when the next year is being trained while a completely independent force attack Vale and jams communications, we all talked about it as a team." Rita turn to face Alec, "No matter the cost we have to prevent another Grimm War."

"I know."

"Alec, No matter the cost we have to prevent it, Those people out there they have no way to survive another one, they have been convinced that they are safe here, in all the Major cities."

Alec grimaces, "I know."


	14. Chapter 12: Meeting

**Well everyone here we are again. Great to see you all looking well, Have you lost weight? Good for you good for you. I like that new haircut.**

**Like I said Welcome back to this little story of mine. To the six or so of you that have made it to this chapter I do want to know what you think so if you have a minute please leave a comment. Who is your favorite character? What do you want to see?**

**I will see you on the Flip side**

**-Tom**

The next two days are calm for the New Huntsmen Teams and units they learn the way things are and find themselves in a situation, They have all talked and realize there is more to the situation than they see. A meeting is called by someone, the letters arriving in every member of the first-year huntsmen's emails as well as the Cadet pilots and the Crew of The Beacon.

Alec stares at the message on his scroll. Mimi bounces on the bed next to Alec, "So are we going to go to this mysterious meeting in the lower level of the Beacon storage warehouses with all of our fellow first years and cadet pilots and ship crew." She stops bouncing and leans over Alec's shoulder, "At least if any of them show up."

"Oh we are going," Rita says as she walks in to the room, "There is something up with that message and I am not letting it be."

Alec looks over, "Any specifics?"

"Nothing we can confirm," She tosses bags of ammunition to Alec, Mimi, Beethoven and Raven, "I would recommend bringing just about every weapon you can."

"Looking for trouble?" Raven says standing up putting her whip around her hip.

Alec tosses Mimi her sword, "The meeting is in two hours we leave in one," He starts collecting his weapons. "Who is going to show up?"

Rita double checks her spear switching it to its rifle mode, "All of them."

Alec holsters his weapons then his concealed weapons, "I want the Vehicles ready for combat loaded with multipurpose ammunition. I don't know what is but we are not going to be caught off guard."

"I understand that we are all on edge here but do any of us know why?" Raven slips a set of knives on her leg. Her back up pistol slips into a leg holster and tree vials of pure dust find their way to a safe carrying case on her belt.

"I can't say for sure, but we all know this is bad." Paul says loading his rifle.

"Every unit is preparing for a fight," Tina says stepping in laying down four boxes of ammunition, "Every support team was down there every bullhead and armored vehicle held by the first year units is prepared no one is talking but we are all going."

"Alright then," Beethoven continues, "everyone is assuming this is a dangerous situation."

"But What is the Staff doing?"

Crimson Imerta stares at the report on her desk, "So the message came from outside the school."

"Yeah that seems to be the case as of now," Azul Pendragon replies passing another piece of paper, "I can have four second year teams and the staff ready for any trouble. If we are preparing for aerial trouble we should contact the Military as the Cadet pilots will be in attendance."

The headmistress stares at the papers, "Who are we to be engaging in combat Azul?"

"Right Crim Because you are not assuming the same thing I am, mass desertion with enough weapons, ammunition and equipment to ruin the new academy system." He lays down the paperwork. "The meeting is in warehouse twelve on basement level eight." He stands up clacking his cane on the ground, "What do we do?"

The woman reaches for her long sword, "Do not contact the military, have Beacon's weapons ready. I want the staff and your teams ready to react." She stands up and places the sword on her hip. "We will not react until something happens, each one of those kids volunteered to protect civilization if we are lucky they mean it." She looks at another report, "Any more information on the Grimm and their new leadership."

"No, but three dead informants tells me that who ever has taken over is damn good at counterintelligence. There are also reports of Grimm Hordes deep in the wilderness far away from any village. Although Schnee Dust, Parker Dust, Lindarell Dust and Corrine Dust Companies have reported having multiple small shipment thefts less than five percent of each shipment was missing. It was really within the acceptable amount but Schnee decided to let us know of her losses and that led to a few checks on our part. Rose Arms, and Atlas Munitions have also reported missing rifles and ammunition."

Crimson Imerta stares at the notes and sighs, "That doesn't sound very good, what has the military done?"

"They have decided that it is obviously the Crimson Claw or the Pure Breeds and increased local Garrisons in the Areas."

She rubs her temples, "For fucks sake, maybe if a few dozen tanks goes missing they will react." She starts walking out of her office, "Have some local security jobs set up for huntsmen with the companies maybe that will help."

Azul's cane click as he catches up to the Headmistress, "Alright that should be easy."

"Let's grab some lunch."

"You are really calm about this we are talking about a complete collapse of the system."

"There is not much to do, if they leave it is done."

Alec stares as the huntsmen units walk to the central courtyard; Their weapons glinting in the slowly setting sun. They don't say a word as they turn down the stairs and start to work their way down the labyrinth of Beacon's underbelly. On level two they find the pilots of Able, Bravo and Delta Squadrons. Their pistols hang in their leg holsters glistening as freshly cleaned. In each of their hands sits weapons of different types, some shotguns, in others, rifles, and in a few submachine guns.

Hayley smiles, "Hey what brings all of you down here, is there a party."

"Don't know yet, I see all of you have a few new toys."

"Oh you never know when you need to clear a room. And the boys love it when a girl has the right accessories for an outfit."

"I have always agreed that everyone needs the right accessories," The low gravely voice from behind the pilots, Maximillian grins with a mouth full of teeth, "I do feel under dressed though I only brought my side arm, he gestures to his side arm in a shoulder holster. I did bring some friends though, maybe that will make up for the lack of proper jewelry." The crew of the Beacon stand behind him their weapons glinting in the lights of the hallway.

"I guess that is everyone then," Alec says calmly, "I believe we have a warehouse to meet in. Are your ships ready if we need to launch?"

"Ready and primed."

"The Beacon is ready for a fight."

The silence returns as they continue to work their way down to the eighth level of the under base. Even as they enter the empty massive room that is warehouse twelve; a room that is large enough to hold a full-sized battleship. Everyone spreads out weapons at the ready.

A voice reverberates around the room. Chills fill the room and the doors close. "Why hello there I am so glad you could all come." The voice should have never been heard never again. Not after millions died putting it down. Weapons raised hearts thump louder than before. "Now children Is that any way to react to you queen."


	15. Chapter 13: Bombing Run

**Welcome Back everyone. Here is the next Chapter. Have fun.**

**Chapter 13:**

"You silly children, your weapons are a waste," A massive Seer Grimm lowers itself from above the ceiling. "You are pawns in this little war, and you will be sacrificed by your leaders." The voice coming from the Grimm sounds sweet even kind, hairs stand on end as the weapons point at the creature.

A jab in his back causes Alec to step forward. His weapons pointing at the creature getting its attention. "So I assume that you are claiming to be Salem, Queen of the Grimm, Destroyer of civilization."

"I am CLAIMING NOTHING CHILD, I am Salem Queen of Remnant." The floating creature floating back and forth.

"Alright Salem, what is your reason for calling us all down here? You planning on killing us?"

"Oh no child I wanted to give you all a choice, I found the last generations war tiring, the children dying was a draining experience. I was a mother once; children dying is not something I want." The Grimm lowers itself down to eye height with Alec. "I give you a choice, Leave now disappear into the world stop this fight and you will live." The Creature floats up, "Or you can die. Painfully, slowly, your flesh will be ripped from your still living body. You will not be remembered, there will be no parades for you, no one will care when you fall in the fight, no one will find your bodies, no one will search for them. You will die forgotten. Choose wisely."

Alec looks back at the nearest Huntman, "Those doors locked?"

"Yeah and the door is reinforced, some of the support teams are trying to cut through but we are not looking good."

Another person steps forward, "We can take out that Seer with a strong crossfire, then cut our way out."

Alec raises his voice, "Alright everyone what is our choice. You heard the woman, choose wisely."

"I don't care what that this is offering, I signed up to destroy Grimm," One of the people in the crowd yells.

A series of yells of affirmation follow the declaration. Alec turns back to the Seer, "I assume you won't let us leave."

A sigh can be heard, "That is true, I had hope that you would accept the deal." The Grimm's tentacles grow sharp spikes. "You will not be allowed to leave here Huntsmen." The voice sounds like it is smiling, "This Grimm has had a pure fire dust bomb inside of it. It will destroy everything in this room. Now children I have a Beacon to bomb."

The Grimm slashes out with its tentacles. "Shield teams Front! Get those doors open," Alec parries one of the spike tentacles. "Check your fire if we set off that dust we are cooked."

"Fuck it, Give me those grenades, I am blasting through the door."

"That could kill one of us."

"I said Fuck it, Hand me the Bombs." A growl comes from the person at the door.

"Got it."

"Fire in the hole!" An explosion rattles across the room.

"What the hell did they make these doors out of?"

"The Grimm is starting to glow!"

"Fuck me, more bombs just take out the wall. I am not going to be barbeque. A second louder explosion rips through the room."

"Alright door is open."

"Everyone out, that fucking Grimm is gonna Blow."

The pure fire dust explosion incinerates the room and a bolt of flame rips the doors from their hinges. Fire belches through the hallways as the Huntsmen Cover their non-Aura blessed allies.

As the smoke settled Everyone starts to stand up, "Is everyone alive."

"So far."

"We need to get to our equipment, now."

"How could she bomb Beacon?"

The fighter pilots start running. "She is going to use Grimm to drop Bombs."

"Oh fuck, Captain, we need to get the Beacon in the Air."

"Let's go," Maximillian starts running down the hall with his crew.

Alec yells down the hallway following them, "We will be on the radio," he turns to the others, "We need to get our bullheads in the air, Go!"

The support teams start running, "Fuck we have what zero time in the cockpits, what are we supposed to do?"

"Our jobs; run."

Alec Grabs his scroll, as he starts walking quickly.

"Mister Tross how was your little meeting" Crimson Imerta looks at her clock, five forty-three.

"Ma'am I will give you a full explanation later, there is going to be a Grimm attack on Beacon, by a bombing run. The Beacon's crew is loading up for battle, Squadrons Able, Bravo and Delta are scrambling, The first year Huntsmen units are getting our bullheads in the air too."

"Where did you get this information?" Silence was not what she wanted, "That is not a question Tross that is a demand." She is not kind with the demand, she is wickedly harsh with the words.

"Salem, Ma'am."

"Get to your bullhead." She stands up and walks towards her command center, everything is calm. "Alright, everyone I need you all to pay attention, there is a Grimm attack imminent on Beacon I want every weapon ready to fire in anti-air mode, I need all radar information now."

"By the Gods," One of the control center workers, "There are over five thousand massive Nevermore at maximum altitude, with smaller Grimm supporting them. Ma'am this seems organized."

"I will explain everything when this is over, Can we fire on them?"

"No ma'am."

"Put me on the PA system." The microphone is handed to her, "This is Headmistress Imerta, I there is an imminent attack on Beacon by the air, I want every fighter, every ship and every bullhead in the air."

"The Cadet Frigate Beacon and Cadet Squadrons Able, Bravo, and Delta are launching."

"The first year Huntsmen Bullheads are launching. They are fully loaded."

"Crimson What is going on?" Azul Pendragon asks running into the command room. He looks at the screen showing the threat. "Holy shit, what is that?"

"They are diving straight down on us ma'am."

"Alright everyone, this is it we cannot let these Grimm get through." Alec Yells into the headset, as he is hanging onto a roof strap. The Bullhead he is in in flying straight up following the fighters ahead of them. The Beacon is flying straight up a few hundred fight behind them.

"The Grimm are coming straight down."

Raven slams the side of the Bullhead, "They are the bombs."

"Oh give me good news," Rita yells over back.

The sound of the weapons starting to fire is impossible to hear over the sound of the wind rushing by. The first Grimm explodes into a massive Ball of fire.

As the aircraft break through the Massive Flock of Nevermores and their escorts, "Alright everyone this is where we get out." He jumps out followed by the Rest of Team AMBR.

As all of the Huntsman Combat teams Jump from their bullheads and the sky fill with smart munitions, namely themselves, although many of them are probably questioning the 'smart' part of that. The Bullheads and Fighters pass my them diving down toward the Beacon which is now in a melee of air combat with the Lancers and Smaller non-bomb Nevermores. As the fighters and bullheads engage in the Melee the Huntsmen Glide through at what was nearing terminal velocity. The remaining Bomb Nevermore have the Huntsmen on top of them. Alec is first as he passes by he slices the wing of the beast, forcing it open. The Giant Grimm Bomb opens its wing throwing Alec away and the creature throws its elf in to an uncontrollable spin as its aero dynamic capability is thrown off as its wing rips along the cut and flies away. Mimi slices the monster's beak her shotgun ripping the face clean. Raven and Beethoven follow up with Raven using her whip pull the Nevermore's head back burning it with fire dust. She pushes herself off as Beethoven fires his rifle diving past and sets off the bomb inside firing through the Broken Beak.

With everything they could do done and the last few Being Picked off by fighters or by the now array of ground fire coming from the fortress known as Beacon the falling Huntsmen finally ask about the new problem while putting out their arms and legs to slow down some. "What is the landing strategy?" Finally comes over the Radio as the ground moves up towards them.

"We are moving to fast to go with any normal landing strategy."

Alec sighs trying to think as he doesn't respond.

"This is Maximillian we are bringing the Beacon down to match your velocity land on the top of her and we should be able to slow down without you all being affected by the G-force."

"Or the Beacon and all of us become one with the ground."

The Beacon brings itself under the falling Huntsmen, and slowly allows them to gain on it. The metal of the hull creaks and screeches as the Beacon fights gravity while damage on the outside fly off. As the Beacon slows collecting the First years they are pushed onto the hull. None of them can see it but the ground is closer than anyone wants to be. The Frigate stops its decent about twenty-two meters away from the top of the Beacon command tower. The heat of the thrusters melt the upper parts of the tower, the concrete and metal liquifying and leaking down the walls.

As the damaged frigate brings itself down to its docks one of the hatches open, "come on in once we dock we can make hopefully relax." The cadet waves them in. The lights flicker as the young huntsmen walk through the hallways and the Klaxons scream. The smell of burned electrical cables floats in the air.

As the frigate lands harder than normal denting the floor. One of the landing struts starts to screech as the main hatches open. The metal gives out and the frigate collapses forward. As everyone lurches forward inside and the support crew in the landing bay rush forward and spray fire retardant on the new electrical fires. The crew and the first-year huntsmen shove open the hatches and crawl out.

Alec reaches out a hand for Maximillian, "Thanks for the save, I really did not have a landing plan in that situation."

As everything is being burnt the Headmistress steps in, "Mister Tross, I do hope you have an explanation. That name, you better have a real good reason for using it."

"I had the recording on ma'am. I will send it to you."

"I don't care about the recordings, tell me that you had a good damn reason."

"That I did Ma'am the voice we spoke to claimed to be Salem it sounded like her and controlled and spoke through a large Seer Grimm."

The hanger is as silent as it can be with the fires burning and metal creaking. "How did you know about the bombing run."

"I didn't for sure but being airborne gave us rapid reaction capability, and there was only one way to attack Beacon. No matter what we needed to be airborne." Alec jumps down, and walks over to the Headmistress, "I take full responsibility."

"Of course, you do, because that is what you do." The Headmistress sighs.

"What the hell happened you crazy monster," A man in a Valean military uniform asks walking in, "You planning on warning anyone before you decide to have a fireworks show."

"General this is a Huntsman concern you have no authority here," The Headmistress replies calmly. "But there was an airborne Grimm threat and my people to care of it, now I have wounded to take care of and a Frigate to repair, three fighters need minor repairs and I have eight bullheads that had to make hard landings in their hangers. Is there anything I else I can provide to you."

As forty men walk in behind the General also in military uniforms, their rifles in a ready position. The wired huntsmen and cadets shift to ready positions. "Headmistress I must say I am disappointed by your attitude; how could Grimm get through our aerial defenses? I am sure it was just a mistake by your trigger-happy brainwashed soldiers. They probably have been working with too much dust and saw monsters where there are none, unlike my men they know where the monsters stand."

The communication headsets on everyone's ears open up, "Thirteen Military warships have surrounded Beacon, Eighty-Four bullheads in landing patterns, three hundred fighters."

The General stares at the Headmistress, "I would very much like to know what is happening Imerta."

Everyone moves.

Maximillian Calmly radios, "I need the Beacon launched now."

"Able, Bravo and Delta are ready for launch."

"Charlie, Echo, and Fire are ready for launch." A voice that Alec has not heard before says.

"All fortress weapons are operational."

"Mechanized team ready for orders."

"Second Year Huntsmen Teams are ready for orders."

"All support teams are mounted up and ready for operations, Armored vehicles are ready."

Alec steps next to the Headmistress, "Ma'am First Year Huntsman Teams are ready for orders."

Behind them the Beacon shutters to life hovering in its hanger. "The Beacon is operational."

The Assistant Headmaster's voice comes over the communication, "On your order."

Imerta stares at the General, "General Pincter it seems that you brought some friends, I am very grateful for the offer of reinforcements but as you can see we have already taken care of the problem. As always the Huntsmen Corps is more than capable of dealing with our targets. We are so happy that our allies in the Valean military are so willing so send us help. But I would hate to have our friends waste fuel in such a silly endeavor. We are more that capable of dealing with a few Grimm." She smiles coldly, "I there is no need to continue this General."

The General stares, he looks around the room, "You huntsmen are all the same, you think that the rules don't apply to you monsters. You make child soldiers to fight monsters, you ignore the real enemies for a dying kind of one creature that we defeated years ago. One day reality will come for all of you and you will see the monsters you have become. And you Imerta, You are the worst kind of monster."

"Well my dear General, I have stared into the abyss long enough, I am not going to play any longer. Get out of my school before I lose my temper."

"What make you think that scares me," The General draws his weapon. At the point the pistol reaches out the magazine falls to the ground. The forty men with him raise their rifles, the same happens their magazines hit the ground.

Azul Pendragon steps in the magazines floating around him as his cane clicks, "General wonderful to see you again, Your men dropped these." His lax attitude continues, "Can I show you the door."

The General looks at The Headmistress, "Headmistress Imerta I and my men will take our leave seeing as you do not need assistance."

"Thank you very much General Pincter," The Headmistress watches as the soldiers leave. "Thank you Azul."

"Would hate to see you get angry."

"The Military fleet is returning to base." Comes over the radio.

"Stand down begin repairs." She replies into the radio. "Mister Alec Tross I expect a full after-action report due before classes start. If you want to act like a commander then you can start filing paperwork like one." She turns to Azul, "Where are the second years?" She growls, "and why was my school defended from a Grimm attack by my newest least trained Huntsmen?"

Azul Pendragon, assistant headmaster of Beacon and well know lax man, straightens up his normal smile falling away. "The second-year unit leaders thought it would be valuable to provide a reserve force."

"I have nothing to say, Make sure they all write me a twelve-page essay defending their options. Then have someone kindly explain to them everything that that is wrong. If the Gods will it please do it with a two by four." The Headmistress sighs, and points at a staff member, "Make sure that the Cadets get the equipment to repair their airship." Another woman steps forward, her white hair not covering up her sheep like ears. The large crossbow staff in her hands carried calmly at the middle. The Headmistress stares at her, "Find out how the military mobilized so quickly, and what they plan to do."

The woman walks out without another word. Everyone else in the room sighs as the Headmistress walks out with her Assistant Headmaster. Alec turns to see The Beacon slowly resting down on a hastily stacked landing strut to replace the leg than gave out. "Good Job everyone," he says into the radio, "I need squadron leaders of Able, Bravo and Delta to come down and join us in the Beacons Hanger. Alright, team leaders stay here everyone else go ahead and get back to your dorms."

"Who put you in charge?!" Keller Pointer yells in the hanger bay. "We don't have to do a damn thing you say."

"Then just go," Someone else yells loudly.

"Shut up you damn animal," Keller yells at the faunus that spoke out, as she walks out with her supporters.

Alec stares at the group leaving, as the three pilot squadron leaders come and join them. "Alright that is everyone that wants to be part of this mess." He looks around at the stares around him. "We need to do some of our own research; one we need to find out what is going on to the military, two we need to make sure we have the power to resupply ourselves without Beacon, three we need to find out what the military has to deal with us. I want all of you to work a little bit on dealing with possible military engagement. Four if Salem is for sure back we need to start figuring out how the Grimm are being affected. That is it."


	16. Chapter 14: Huntsman Psycology

**So I have to apologize I know I am late posting internet went down and I have been working tons.**

The next few days are a rush of paperwork and half-truths filed into a twenty-two page after action report and material use report by Alec as he writes the only report of the attack from the few days prior. The other members of his unit have busied themselves with preparing themselves for the start of classes.

Crimson Imerta looks over some initial reports from a few days before. Classes start today and here she is reading twenty-two pages of half-truths and flat out lies. Handed into her by one Alec Tross. "He is quite a bullshitter," She rubs the bridge of her nose. "I know I shouldn't be surprised he did organize dozens of teams to turn in the same after-action report." She stares at the color-coded report, and flipped to the material use report, three pages of minute detail down to the three dozen band aids that were used for small cuts through the battle. "He had days to make this and turned in a piece of art that avoids half the questions we would have. He explains the entire series of events in the warehouse but leaves off who blew open the door and how they had the explosives. He doesn't mention anything Salem said."

"Well we can keep him out of writing class then, sounds like he doesn't need help," the assistant Headmaster says leaning lazily on his cane. "And he is damn good at leading them, even the teams that actively argue with him, we he says that they are going to war they follow him. Even when the military showed up the first year's, as high strung as they were stood by him." He stand straight, and leans over seriously, "The only reason they backed you is because he did."

"I know," She sighs, "he got them to attack a Grimm force in a suicide run straight upwards, that alone should have killed them all. They have almost no training on those bullheads and they pushed them to the literal breaking point. They should have gone down before they even reached the damned nevermore."

"And then they jumped."

"Don't get me started on that, what was he thinking. At that altitude nothing would have saved them from being fine red paste on my schools masonry."

"What does his report say about that."

"Nothing, He skips to the aftermath and accommodation for Maximillian and his crew."

"He is good."

"The best I have seen since the war."

"Who are his parents."

"Flame and Scarlet Tross of Strip."

"Well fuck."

"That is what I said."

Team AMBR walks into their first class of the year Alec rubs his eyes. Mimi leans into him, "How long did you make that report?"

"Oh something like twenty two pages." He smiles as they sit down, "I took a while to get everything in there, I mean I had to color code the materials we used. I mean band aids are expensive."

Raven smirks, "You did not do that to the Headmistress." She places her books on the table, "She is going to kill you."

"She can get in line after the army apparently."

Beethoven smirks at that, "How is the information digging coming along?"

Danny sits down with the rest of her team, "not much yet, we are having trouble gathering information."

Alec nods as he stares down into the middle of the lecture hall, "So…"

Mimi rolls her eyes, "Something for you all to know about Alec he sometimes will ask an observational question like he is about to do here."

"Who said I was going to ask anything?" Alec raises his hands.

"Well Boss what is the question," Danny asks with energy.

"Give me a read of the room," He replies calmly resting his chin on his clasped hands.

"Lecture hall, with all of us looking down to the speaker."

"The Professor is missing an arm."

"He doesn't have a replacement nor attachments for a replacement."

"His weapon is part of set; he carries it in a cross draw."

"He is old."

Alec smiles, "And why does that matter Raven"

"He is older than the war he was probably an experienced Huntsman before the war."

"Why doesn't he have a mechanical arm?"

"I can hear you," The teacher yells from the bottom of the lecture hall, "I don't like the feeling of those damned machine arms." He steps forward into the center of the room, "Now my name is Almond Rasing, I have served as a Huntsman for over forty years, I have four doctorates. I have fought the enemies of civilization; I have trained thirty-four apprentice Huntsmen since the war ended. I am here to make each and every one of you into a weapon and a shield for those that sit comfortably behind city walls and town fortifications. People that if we do our jobs will not feel the cold nights with howling beasts around them, or the gnawing hunger after weeks of combat. They will not know the feeling of holding their friends dying in their arms as they realize they cannot stay to comfort them because a Grimm is bearing down on them and they must fight." He steps forward revealing his goat legs and feet as he steps out from behind the desk, "they will not know those feelings because we will bear them. I am here to teach you how to think and act like Huntsman. No matter your creed, or your race you will learn how to be a Huntsman. You will leave behind some of your humanity, some of the thoughts you have now. You are going to forget you are mortal, and I am going to teach you how to think. Welcome to Huntsman Psychology."

For the first years the two-hour lecture is a test of will. Talk of theory and practice. The Philosophy of perceived strength and its use in practice. How to control the look, sound and perceived ability of a force even if all of that information is wrong. Of course, the old goat at the front of the room is more explaining the vaguest idea of these concepts mostly the idea of the idea.

Quietly the class ends notes upon notes are sitting in front of each huntsman. "Alright I will see you all for the next class in two days I want you all to come with your heads on and ready to learn, We will start with the theory of perceived strength. Dismissed."

The teams walk out of the lecture hall blinking at the daylight above them. "Alright this is where we part ways," Danny says as Riptide turns to their separate class.

Paul follows his team calmly, "We will see you for lunch," he shifts his holster and rifle on his back.

"Come on we have combat class for three hours next then lunch then we all split for our personal classes, for another four hours then we all have dinner, and then free time." Alec says walking towards the arena classroom.

"Four days of classes then three off, and the only good part about it all is that we get over twelve hours of combat class a week." Mimi says with a sigh.

"We are supposed to take missions on those three days off." Raven reminds Mimi as she sashays past her the clicking of her heels echoing.

As they all enter the massive training arena, thirty-three people stand in front of them. The man standing in front of them a rapier at his side a locked smile on his face. "Welcome first years," His jaw stays locked unmoving as his lips move. "I am Kirkland Burntwood. I am the man that will teach you how to fight, how to kill and how to destroy. Behind me are thirty-two of the best fighters I know, they can kill each of you in a hundred different ways. I have hired them soldiers, assassins, traitors and terrorists to teach you how to fight the way that will let you win." He starts walking across the room, "I will teach you to fight like you are dying, like the fate of the world rests in your hands," He stops and turns around with a stomp of his foot, "because it does!" He stares intently, "now pair off with your partner my assistants will work with you and take note of your weaknesses. Get to work I have been told you are already good fighters, try to impress me."

The first-year huntsmen break off into pairs and start preparing to fight each other. Alec looks at Mimi from a few meters away, his twin weapons drawn. Mimi holds her sword in both hands pointing at Alec, "So Alec the normal bet?"

"Deal, loser buys." Alec nods as he blocks the first slash from Mimi's heavy sword.

With his left hand he slams into her wrist, she blocks with the grip of her sword while kicking and rolling back. She slashes upwards with the flat of the blade. Pulling back as Alec retreats from the heavy-handed attacks that he knows Mimi is capable of putting out. Recovering from her roll Mimi slams down on Alec with her sword and slams down on top of him. Alec rolls forward slamming into Mimi, pushing her back she brings down the pommel on Alec's back. He releases his grip around Mimi and rolls off her. His kukri slashes at Mimi slamming into her side as she reacts with another heavy slash. She misses and Alec takes advantage kicking the sword back. Mimi kicks at Alec as he has to drop one of his weapons. The other one coming up with a upper cut stabbing motion. Mimi Catches it and grabs Alec by the neck, "You are buying." She lets go and helps Alec collect his weapon.

One of the trainers approaches, "Impressive fight though I will say you were both holding back. Refrain from doing so or else you will have points docked. Please find new sparing partners."

Alec and Mimi split ways and find themselves new partners. The next few hours have everyone shifting around and sparing against one another.

The lock jawed teacher finally calls an end to the session as the Huntsmen walk sorely out of the room to the mess hall


End file.
